Incense sticks have a long history of being used as insect repellents.
Although many scents are available which may be of some use, there a select few which are praised above the rest.
The most commonly used scent to repel mosquitoes is citronella.
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Citronella
Citronella oil is probably the one oil that comes to everybody’s mind when they think of repelling insects. Citronella oil is distilled from lemongrass.
This scent is commonly used in commercial products such as bug sprays and candles. They also make large citronella insect sticks which are intended for outdoor use. Many people find citronella to work quite well. Insect sticks also have the added benefit of smoke, which is also known to repel insects such as mosquitoes.
Peppermint
While peppermint is generally not thought to be as effective as citronella in repelling mosquitoes, but it does do a good job on it’s own. Mosquitoes tend to avoid the smell. Additionally, many people find the smell of peppermint to be a lot more tolerable than citronella.
Lavender
Although most humans seem to enjoy the sweet and floral scent of lavender, mosquitoes do not usually show lavender the same courtesy. Not only does the scent repel mosquitoes, but live plants may also be planted in yards or gardens to keep mosquitoes away from select areas.
