Spotting insects can be an enjoyable bonus on any long walk or wild camping trip, but can soon become a hindrance when the biting begins.
With over 33 species of mosquitoes in the UK, it’s inevitable you’ll encounter a swarm at some stage, which can range from simply annoying to potentially dangerous. And then there's midges and mites. That’s why we’ve put together our selection of the best insect sprays out there to help repel insects and stop them ruining your ramble, making sure there's an eco friendly option for toddlers and pets.
Best insect sprays in 2023
Incognito Insect Repellent Spray
This excellent DEET-free insect spray keeps biters away for up to five hours at a time, including ticks, midges, mosquitoes, sandflies, horseflies and many more. It's made from natural essential oils (including citronella), so smells fantastic and won't take your nail varnish off, unlike some other well-known brands. It is high in citrapel 75 (PMD), which is recommended by Public Health England and the NHS, and the bottle is made from sugarcane plastic, which has a positive carbon footprint and is recyclable.
Incognito also comes in roll-on form, as a suncream-repellent hybrid, a shower gel and as incense sticks. It is safe to use on children.
The Organic Pharmacy Insect Repellent Spray
Made from a mixture of 100% natural ingredients including neem, rosemary, lavender and lemon eucalyptus, this has been designed as a non-chemical repellent spray, with each element organically farmed.
Simply spray onto your skin every four hours to ensure it's effective, and you'll be able to keep those bug bites away.
Buy Insect Repellent Spray now from The Organic Pharmacy
Beat It! All Natural Insect Repellent For People and Pets
Don’t forget your pets when you head into insect territory. With this all natural repellent you can save yourself and your four-legged friends the discomfort of a variety of insect bites. Made with all natural ingredients, this family-sized bottle should provide up to eight hours of protection, and keep your skin feeling softer as a result.
Making use of ingredients like lemongrass and mint oils, as well as aloe vera to protect and soothe the skin, this should do the trick of keeping yellow jackets, black flies and ticks off your back.
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Toddle Gentle Insect Repellent for Children
A gentle alternative to those insect repellents containing DEET, this spray from Toddle is especially suited for children. Providing up to eight hours of protection, this formula is non-sticky to avoid mess and an uncomfortable feel, and it's also water-resistant so shouldn't rub off if the weather turns on you.
Due to the concentrated formula it's recommended you only apply a little for it to work, which is handy as it means the bottle will go further with approximately 200 applications inside.
Priding themselves on their eco ethos, this brand boasts an excellent toxicological and eco-toxicological profile, which essentially means it won't harm any fish or algae it may come into contact with, while still keeping mosquitoes and horseflies from your children.
Mosi-guard Natural Insect Repellent
Aiming to work just as well as any synthetic repellents, this pump action spray from mosi-guard natural has embraced a plant based formula for a more natural result. The active ingredient is Citriodiol as opposed to DEET, which means it's biodegradable and wont cause any issues in waterways.
Boasting up to eight hours of protection, this ethically produced bug repellent should keep stable flies and land leeches away from you on your hikes. Simply apply directly to exposed skin when necessary, being careful not to spray it onto your face.
Herbal Armor Natural DEET-free Insect Repellent
This DEET free pump spray from All Terrain contains an oil-based formula that is also GMO-free. An eco-friendly product that should keep insects and their pesky bites away, this isn't just environmentally safe, it should also be fine to use near clothes and camping gear without damaging them in any way. Ideal as a go-to repellent for either long walks or short trips.
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