Garlic: The Ultimate Camping Bloodsucker Repellent

Garlic has always been recognized in myth, folklore and in Hollywood as being one of the key required ingredients to repel bloodsucking vampires.  It just may be that, hidden in all the fiction is a small grain (or even clove), of fact. It just so happens that, garlic is an insect repellant.

You’re On The Menu

Wherever you camp in the world, living under canvas inevitably attracts uninvited guests of the flying variety. Mosquitoes, flies, gnats are frequent tent invaders who come seeking succulent foodstuff to eat; or they’re aiming to hide out in the sleeping pods to feast on you at night. Flies are the ultimate unhygienic – and generally disgusting – members of the insect world. Even the most passionate campers can get agitated by the monotonous late-night hum of a hidden winged ambush, just waiting for you to fall asleep so it can attack.

We Put the Theory to the Test

An idea evolved to discourage these unwelcome visitors. The idea came from knowing that taking garlic capsules repels mosquitoes. It is suggested that they do not like the smell in the pores of the skin or the taste of it in the blood. So this year, in early September, we tested the theory to see if garlic is an insect repellant.

We placed a handful of garlic cloves in two little net bags (the type used in washing machines with detergent tablets) and hung them at the entrance of the tent. We broke a couple of the cloves in half, hoping to release an increased level of odour. The smell did not permeate the tent at all and we were able to continue our holiday unperturbed by any garlic aromas. At first we were quite cynical and still saw flying things arrive on our table. However, after the first day, we saw a significant reduction in the amount of flies and mosquitoes in the tent.

Garlic is an Insect Repellant

Garlic is not going to rid you completely of all your flying invaders, but it does seem to discourage a good number of them from making their way into your indoor space. Keep those bloodsuckers at bay naturally.

Author: Michelle Minniss

Edited By: CampTrip.com