Picture from manufacturer's web site is used to repel biting insects. It is a small - less than an 1.5" square - see through patch. There is no scent from it, although it contains Aloe and vitamin B1. The packaging says it is safe for children, and that it is 'natural, simple and safe'. It works to repel biting insects by reducing human odors that attract insects. The patch is designed to last up to 36 hours!
I wore the first patch on a day hike, that started early in the morning while the mosquitoes were still out. I didn’t get up in time to put it on 2 hours ahead of time as the directions say, but it still worked well against the mosquitoes. I put the patch on my upper arm, and forgot about it.
The area where I hiked is a primarily wooded trail, with a lot of tree cover. While that provides some nice shade, it also seems to keep the insects around. I was please at how the mosquitoes stayed away. The horseflies on the other hand were still pretty bad. They didn’t seem to land on me, or bite, but they still flew in my face a lot. My grandfather used to say eating garlic was the only insect repellant that really worked. I’m not sure about that, but it would keep my fellow hikers away, I’m sure.
Once home, I took off the patch, and found that it left no residue, or red mark on my skin. I will continue to use the patches, and see how they work on longer days, and or through the night while camping.
~ Leesa
