Automatic bug repellent?

Question

I live in an apartment and every evening when I come home the door has bugs all around it - moths, mosquitos, dragonflies, flies, spiders, etc - and they fly into my house when I open the door. It's very annoying and disgusting and I am looking for a repellent that I can just leave outdoors all the time to keep them away. It can't be the kind that you burn because I want it to be effective while I'm not home so that when I get home there are no bugs. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Answer 1

My main suggestion would be essential oils; you don't even have to burn them in my experience. I have had a problem with moths in my flat and I use cotton balls soaked in Lavendar essential oil and a carrier oil [it slows down the evaporation of the essential oil]. I just leave them in a jar and add some extra when it dries out. I imagine using Citronella oil in the same way would work.

There are various plants too that repel certain insect pests, but I think most of them also attract certain other insects and they are of more use from a gardening point of view.

Anyway, most insects are attracted to light, so if it's a problem purely in the evening and there's a safe way to get into your apartment with the lights off inside and around the door it might minimise the number of bugs that follow you in. You could also try one of those 'bug zapper' electric lights if you have a power supply by your door, but I guess that isn't really repelling them.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

it could be light that's attracting them.