If you are hiking Ok.  How much would they have to pay you to stick your arm into a tank of hungry mosquitoes?  A lot right?  Well call it investigative journalism or just plain dumb…but I volunteered for this assignment.  Yes I headed down to Florida to the USDA research and testing lab.  It’s hot, muggy and filled with blood sucking skeeters.  It’s where brave researchers spend their days figuring out how to best protect yourself from getting bitten.  Granted most of the research is intended to protect our men and women in the armed forces but what they learn can be of help to us civilians just trying to enjoy our backyard BBQ.

So here’s how my day went.  I was sprayed with a Deet-based repellent on one arm and a natural-based bracelet on the other.  Then I stuck my bare arms into two different tanks.  The Deet protected arm was virtually bitten free. The other?  Yikes!  The bugs landed and feasted.  I also had researchers at the lab try out other natural products along with repellents that contained:  Pecaridin, IR 3535,and Eucalypts oil.

The natural products bombed. 

Then it was time to hit the outside tent also filled with nasty critters.  I wore a clip on repellent that was supposed to emit Deet.  It did work however I admit I just couldn’t take it. So I bailed, practically bite free.  You need to watch my segment on the Today show at www.msnbc.com to see the  “Get me out of this tent mosquito dance!”  Very humorous!

So what did we learn?  What works? What doesn’t?

Here are the 4 ingredients USDA researchers say do the job:

Deet

Pecaridin

IR 3535

Eucalypts Oil

What is the cheapest way to enjoy your BBQ?  Use a fan.  Mosquitoes don’t like the wind.  It’s an all-natural remedy to eating your burger in peace.

For swimming and there are a lot of mosquitoes biting, Deet is your best bet.  The American Pediatric Association says Deet is perfectly safe for babies over the age of 2 months.

Any ideas for the next brave segment I should tackle?  Send them my way.

By the way I am happy to report the welts on my arm are now gone and my skin is smooth once again!