Raleigh News & Observer
Saturday, July 2, 2005 Raleigh, North Carolina
Sweet Relief From Pests and Poison
Summertime and the livin' is not so easy if you are plagued by mosquitoes and other pests.
By CAROL STEIN
Until I discovered Mosquito Magic® Clips in 2002, I was. So my Mosquito Magic® Clips are now an essential accessory every time I venture outdoors.
The clips aren't exactly a pretty addition to a tea party ensemble, but I got used to explaining what that "green thing" fastened to my shirt was. (It's sort of helped with my social skills too, as sometimes people gravitated toward me to benefit from the skeeter-free zone.)
In May, Mike Spargo, founder of Mosquito Magic®, in Gastonia, sent me a sample of his newest product, and I, being a devoted fan of all of the chemical-free products in the Mosquito Magic® line, quickly agreed to put his new Mosquito Magic® Wipes to my ultimate test.
It's always a pleasure to visit other people's gardens, but I usually feel like a geek when I show up swaddled in my goofy outdoor gear. This time, though, I decided to trust Spargo's new product and wear something girly. I chose cropped pants and sandals, but wore my requisite long-sleeved white shirt (so that my feet and ankles would be the primary sacrifice to the blood suckers that always find me). Before I left home, I wiped the natural oils of the Mosquito Magic® Wipe on my exposed parts.
The first thing my hostess said when she greeted me was, "You smell good! What are you wearing?" She laughed when I told her it was bug repellent.
My fears about bug bites quickly disappeared, and after about an hour in a situation that would normally have left me slapping bugs right and left, I realized that neither of us had so much as seen or heard a mosquito or any other bugs for that matter. Heartened by my remarkable bug-free experience in the humid, shady garden, I decided to further test the MM Wipes' effectiveness at home.
Later, I changed into a sleeveless shirt, shorts and sandals and proceeded into my own garden. After three hours of weeding, raking, planting and sweating, the only bug that landed on me the entire day was a perfect lady. I think she was briefly attracted to my bright yellow shirt before flying off to do what ladybugs do.
Right now, I thank Debbie for suggesting that Eau d' Citronella, with a hint of peppermint and rosemary oils, is several steps above Eau d' Vidalia. The onion method is OK in a pinch, but I'd rather slice those vidalias and eat them on a nice grilled veggie burger, while I sit in my garden preparing to be engulfed by inspiration rather than swarms of mosquitoes.
Summertime, and the livin' is easy again.