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In addition to beach reading, bathing suits and sunscreen, summer is traditionally called the mosquito season-mosquito bites are sometimes the unfortunate consequence of spending outdoors. But the bites of mosquitoes, ticks, and other insects are more than irritation or itching—they can also carry diseases such as malaria and Lyme disease. In addition to fetching water from the backyard or setting up an electric fan outside, one preventive and protective measure you can take to avoid bites is to use insect repellent. However, it's easier said than done-if you have ever searched for insect repellent, the label may look confusing, from acronyms to numbers. To help you shop, we consulted experts on how to buy insect repellent and deciphered common terms such as "DEET", "DEET-free" and "Natural".

Skip the best insect repellent

All the experts we interviewed suggested looking for an EPA-registered insect repellent, and they shared the same views as David Brown, a technical consultant for the American Mosquito Control Association. The Centers for Disease Control also recommends looking for an insect repellent that is registered with the EPA and has one of the following active ingredients.

Brown emphasized that you should use EPA-registered products and carefully follow the label instructions of the insect repellent, "to ensure safe and effective use." Unregistered insect repellents do not necessarily follow specific guidelines regarding efficacy. “That’s why we usually don’t recommend these products,” explains Sonja Swiger, an associate professor in the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University. EPA-registered insect repellents, like all EPA-registered products, will have a unique number (usually on the back label) to let you know that it is legal to use. You will usually find one of them on the front label of the insect repellent.

Last year, the US Environmental Protection Agency registered a new active ingredient nootkatone, which was the first active ingredient approved in 11 years-it smells like grapefruit. An agency spokesperson told us that although it has been approved for use, no application of nootkatone-based insect repellent has entered the EPA desk-the only registered product containing this ingredient is used for manufacturing purposes.

Think about the three main categories of insect repellents: DEET, DEET-free and natural-this is the quantity sold.

According to some experts we interviewed, DEET is arguably the most common of these three insect repellents and is considered the "gold standard" in terms of ingredients.

DEET was developed by the US Army in 1946 and approved for public use in 1957, so it has been around for some time. Therefore, it is “one of the most well-studied insect repellents on the market,” said Neeta Pardanani Connally, a professor of biology at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU). Erika T. Machtinger, assistant professor of entomology at the University of Pennsylvania, said, “Although there are some disagreements on the exact way DEET works, the general consensus is that it interferes with the pest’s host-finding ability-basically, they can never smell it again. Your smell is gone" State Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

DEET is a controversial ingredient, mainly because of misinformation.

Erika T. Machtinger, Professor of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University

In most EPA-registered insect repellents, DEET is widely available-more than 500 products use it as an active ingredient (the second is IR355, which has about 45 products, and the third is Picaridin, which has more than 40 products. Kinds of products). Recently, DEET has become notorious for being unsafe, and Consumer Reports retroactively conducted this in 2019.

"DEET is a controversial ingredient, mainly because of misinformation. Some people confuse it with DDT (a compound that is not related and banned in the United States), while others worry that it has been refuted by the medical community. Nervous system problems associated with the use of DEET." Machtinger explained.

Despite the controversy, most of the experts we consulted agreed that DEET is the most effective active ingredient in insect repellents.

You may see the label on the insect repellent saying "DEET free" in larger letters, but you may need to look down to find the actual active ingredient.

For example, if you look closely at this insect repellent from REPEL, you will find that it contains lemon eucalyptus oil. Experts explain that you can think of these as alternatives to DEET. These include EPA-registered active ingredients such as p-menthanediol, 2-undecone, IR3535, lemon eucalyptus oil, and Pacaridin-the latter may be the one you encounter most often.

Experts tell us that, like DEET, DEET-free insect repellents containing the above-mentioned active ingredients are safe and effective. They are not as long as DEET. According to Eva Buckner, a medical entomology extension expert at the University of Florida, Pecaridin performs as well as DEET on insects, but the research time is not long. Machtinger agreed, adding that Pacaridin could be a "reasonable alternative to DEET," but it may be "harder to find in some places"-it may also be more expensive.

The experts we consulted warned against using natural brand insect repellents.

Brown said: “Many products are not successful in repelling insects and products that have been tested and registered by the EPA.” Yes, technically, these are DEET-free, but they are also often free of chemicals and pests. Said Stan Cope, vice president of technology products and services at the management company Catchmaster. This is where the problem lies.

The EPA does not allow the use of words such as "natural" or "natural" on the label of any registered pesticide product. "Because these words are not well defined, they may be misunderstood as a safety statement," said a spokesperson. Natural Repellent Agents usually also contain plant ingredients and essential oils.

"There is now a'Wild West' of natural products," said Connery, who oversees WCSU's Tick-borne Disease Prevention Laboratory. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it may become particularly complicated because some products containing "natural ingredients", such as clove and lemongrass oil, are considered "lowest risk" pesticides, but have not met those registered "The product does have the insect repellent effect claimed by the label," Connery added.

"These products may be considered more'natural', but usually contain known allergens that may cause skin reactions," Mahttinger told us. According to Consumer Reports, natural insect repellents may have higher allergen concentrations than other products labeled with natural brands, but they are also less effective.

Since experts recommend looking for EPA-registered insect repellents, we have taken the most acclaimed insect repellent into consideration. EPA has an online search tool that allows you to find registered insect repellents. We use it to check the registration number of each of the following products. All registered insect repellents provide protection against mosquitoes, but only some insect repellents are effective against ticks.

The EPA's insect repellent database was last updated in 2019-the EPA confirmed that all listed products remain registered and that no recently registered insect repellents have been added. As long as the following conditions are met, the product will remain registered:

When it comes to concentration (or the percentage of active ingredients in a product), many experts explain that a higher number does not mean more protection—contrary to what some might think. Brown said that the percentage "will not increase your level of protection, but it does increase the length of time you protect." Buckner added that, in other words, the higher the concentration, the longer the insect repellent will last. According to Machtinger, 10% and 100% DEET repellents have the same effect in the first few hours after being put on, but the 100% effect will last longer. Cope, who served as the president of the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA), believes that a DEET concentration of 25% to 30% is usually sufficient.

Since DEET is the preferred active ingredient among the experts we consulted, we first added DEET repellent. Recognizing that some shoppers may want DEET-free options, we also offer some insect repellents that do not use this ingredient but are still registered with the EPA.

The company said that the insect repellent formula contains 15% DEET, which can provide 6 hours of protection against mosquitoes, flies, gnats, ticks, chiggers and fleas. The anti-sweat spray is suitable for outdoor activities such as running and hiking. It has an average of 4.5 stars out of more than 680 reviews on Walmart.

It is a popular choice on Amazon, with an average of 4.6 stars out of more than 8,200 reviews. The best-selling insect repellent is made of more than 98% DEET and provides 10 hours of protection. The company said it aims to combat mosquitoes, biting flies, gnats, ticks, chiggers and fleas. Insect repellents also have pump sprays instead of the usual aerosol sprays of other insect repellents.

The insect repellent formula contains 25% DEET, which the company claims can protect for up to 10 hours. It also prevents sweat. Along with mosquitoes, insect repellents are designed to protect against ticks, biting flies, gnats, invisible insects, chiggers and fleas. Although it is currently sold out on Amazon (you can still find it at retailers such as Target), shoppers rated it an average of 4.7 stars out of nearly 1,400 reviews.

This insect repellent is designed to prevent mosquitoes, ticks and chiggers. It is an emulsion containing 30% DEET-the company claims that the liposomes (a type of fat you can also find in some cosmetics) in the formulation can slowly release the active ingredients to extend its effectiveness. The protection lasts up to 11 hours. The lotion is less than 3.4 ounces and can be carried with you. It has an average 4.5-star rating out of more than 380 reviews on Amazon.

It is worth noting that this best-selling insect repellent has received more than 23,400 reviews on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.4 stars. It is formulated with lemon eucalyptus oil to protect against mosquitoes for up to 6 hours. The lemon eucalyptus in the insect repellent is not greasy, so the skin will not feel sticky when applied.

Another popular choice for Amazon shoppers, this insect repellent has an average 4.5-star rating out of more than 11,900 reviews. The company claims that the formula of the insect repellent contains 20% Pecaradin, which can provide up to 12 hours of protection from mosquitoes and ticks, and eight hours of protection from flies, gnats and chiggers. It comes in a pack of two and is a pump spray. The spray is also non-greasy.

The insect repellent is formulated with 30% lemon eucalyptus oil and can repel mosquitoes for up to 6 hours. The company stated that it will leave the scent of lemon eucalyptus, but will not make the skin feel greasy. It is currently sold out on Amazon, but has received an average rating of 4.4 stars out of more than 2,100 reviews from retailers.

This insect repellent is formulated with 5% Picaridin and is designed to provide protection for three to four hours. Pump spray is designed to prevent mosquitoes. It is worth noting that it also applies to clothing, and the company claims that it will not damage cotton, wool or nylon. It has an average rating of 4.3 stars out of more than 146 reviews.

It is important to understand what an insect repellent is and what it is not. Experts tell us that the term may seem broad — there are many insects in the wild — but insect repellents, also commonly called insecticides, usually cover mosquitoes, ticks, or both.

I know that bugs are a general term for things that bite, but entomologists are a little uneasy about calling everything bugs.

Neeta Pardanani Connally, Professor of Biology, Western Connecticut State University

"Most insect repellents are used to deal with mosquitoes. The label usually states which species a certain product is effective for," said Kopu.

Technically speaking, ticks are not actually insects. This is not all. "To be more precise, not all insects are bugs. Not all small animals that bite people (such as ticks) are insects," Connery explained.

"I know that bugs are a general term for things that bite, but entomologists are a little uncomfortable calling everything bugs," Connery said. Machtinger mentioned that it might be better to treat insect repellents as targeting arthropods-covering ticks, spiders, beetles, etc. broadly. Swiger explained that insect repellents are actually designed for blood-seeking insects-most insects do not actually try to find a human host, so they will not be affected by human insect repellents.

Cope said that the insect repellent essentially interferes with the insect's radar "by changing the insect's ability to find a host." "The ability of the sensory devices on the insect's antennae to find a suitable host is affected." According to Buckner, insect repellents also affect senses such as smell and taste, but usually do not kill insects.

Although it may seem surprising, insect repellents are considered insecticides-even if these sprays are used to repel rather than damage insects. Therefore, most insect repellents applied to the skin—yes, they can also include lanterns, candles, and flashlights—must be registered by the Environmental Protection Agency before being sold to the public.

A spokesperson for the agency confirmed that because the repellent is an insecticide, the EPA is responsible for monitoring it. The spokesperson added that the agency independently reviews each insect repellent to confirm its efficacy before registration.

A company applied for registration, "EPA determines whether the product is truly effective and weighs the benefits and risks of the product," the EPA told us. Registration means that the product has passed safety standards, is approved for use in accordance with the instructions on the label, and can be sold and distributed in the United States

Some insect repellents do not actually need to be registered with the EPA. These unregistered products include ingredients such as citronella and cedar-although the US Environmental Protection Agency found that they do not have any health risks, they have not been proven effective.

If you ever felt that mosquitoes bite you more than others around you, experts say some science supports this.

For reasons that we usually cannot control, mosquitoes are more attracted to certain people than others.

Eva Buckner, Medical Entomology Extension Expert, University of Florida

Connery pointed out that a 2017 Harvard study "shows that microbes on the skin affect a person's attractiveness to mosquitoes." She said there is evidence that compounds on the skin may smell better for mosquitoes. Cope explained that only female mosquitoes bite people because they need protein in the blood to lay their eggs and have "extremely developed sensory abilities." Basically, he described how each of us has "unique chemical characteristics" that fall off the skin, which makes some people more susceptible to bites. Machtinger added that this smell is determined by our genetics, immune system and diet. Unfortunately, as Buckner said, “Mosquitoes are more attracted to certain people than others, because most of us can’t control them.”

Some experts mentioned that the increase in carbon dioxide production can also play a role in attracting mosquitoes. "If you emit more carbon dioxide than others, you will be more attractive to mosquitoes. For example, if you breathe shortly during and after exercise, mosquitoes may be more attracted to you," Buckner said.

Heat may also be a factor. "If your body temperature is higher, you may be more attractive," Buckner added. Machtinger tells us that dark clothes can absorb heat, which may increase the chance of being bitten. "It is recommended to wear light-colored clothes to reduce the attraction to mosquitoes," Buckner said.

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Ambar Pardilla is a former reporter for NBC News Select. 

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