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  • Mother Earth Gardener

    Plant a BUG SPRAY Garden

    Mar 01, 2019 4 minutes
    By Juliette Abigail Carr

    INSECT BITES ARE A WARM-WEATHER PLAGUE, from black flies in spring to ticks in fall. As climate change decimates the evolutionary baseline of seasonal ebb and flow, insect populations, and the diseases they carry, are increasing. We’re in the midst of a frightening spike in diseases such as Lyme disease, Zika, and West Nile virus, which makes protecting yourself from bites more important than ever.

    Although the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers DEET and similar insecticides appropriate for human use, many people prefer to avoid DEET because numerous studies have demonstrated potential harm, and its toxicity is still unclear, especially to children and pollinators. Herbal bug spray is a safe, effective alternative to conventional

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