Field evaluation New Mountain Sandalwood Mosquito Sticks and New Mountain Sandalwood Botanical Repellent against mosquitoes in North Queensland, Australia

• Published in: Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 158 - 160
• Main Authors: Ritchie, S.A, Williams, C.R, Montgomery, B.L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2006
• Subjects: Animals; area repellents; compressed powdered sandalwood; Culex; Culicidae; essential oils; geranium oil; humans; Insect Repellents; mosquito bites; mosquito control; mosquito repellents; Ochlerotatus; Plant Preparations; powders; Queensland; Santalum; Santalum spicatum; smoke formulations; soybean oil; topical application; wood; Queensland
• DOI: 10.2987/8756-971X(2006)22[158:FEONMS]2.0.CO;2
• ISSN: 8756-971X

The mosquito repellent efficacy of New Mountain Sandalwood Mosquito Sticks (containing 0.5% w/w essential oils) and New Mountain Sandalwood Botanical Repellent (containing soybean and geranium oils) was assessed. Tests were conducted in the field with 4 volunteers in a wooded area near Cairns, North Queensland, Australia. Predominant biting species were Verrallina funerea and Ve. lineata. A pair of burning Mosquito Sticks immediately upwind of the subject (acting as an area repellent) provided a 73.1% mean reduction in mosquito landing and probing over the 3-h test period. The Botanical Repellent and a DEET-based control were both 100% effective in preventing mosquito probing for 3 h. These data are consistent with other studies of area repellents in that such products provide significant protection from mosquito bites, albeit inferior to the protection provided by topically applied repellents.