Effectiveness of different bug repellents

Interesting tidbits:
1. "Natural" repelents such as citronella and oil of lavender are MORE likely to cause allergic reactions and are being phased out by Canadian autorities.

2. Picaridin-based repellents work just about as well as DEET, but they do not repel ticks and actually attract gnats. Bummer.

3. For short-term exposures (less than 2 hours), soy-based and other natural product repellents work as well as DEET and don't need to be washed off upon returning indoors. This is good if your kids are just going outside for a bit after supper or other short-term exposure.

-Blast