The Cocktail Ingredient That Could Help Keep Mosquitoes Away
New research indicates that mosquitoes may develop a tolerance to DEET, leading to interest in nootkatone, a natural compound found in grapefruits. A distillery has released a cocktail enhancer called Skeeter's that utilizes this compound as a potential aromatic repellent.
Why it matters
As insects develop resistance to traditional repellents, finding effective, natural alternatives is increasingly important for public health.
Credit: Courtesy of Quaker City Mercantile As the heat of summer persists, so does concern about tick and mosquito bites, and their associated vector-borne diseases. New research suggests pests can "associate DEET with a blood meal using Pavlovian conditioning," which turns the gold-standard repellent into a dinner bell. So the search for effective pest repellants and insecticides is more important than ever.
That's why nootkatone, another active ingredient that appears to stymie these pests, has attracted increased attention. An organic compound found in natural sources like grapefruits and cedar trees, nootkatone is a natural pest repellant whose novelty may add to its effectiveness on insects that have developed a tolerance to other insecticides, according to the CDC .
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