How Does It Work? Citronella Oil
The flies are bad! I say that every summer, but it seems like this summer the flies have superhero level abilities. I have been switching around different fly sprays to see what works. Interestingly, the fly sprays that contain citronella oil seem to be having the most effect. They are even beating out the heavy duty chemical fly sprays (which I try and use sparingly). This made me curious to learn more about citronella and how it works.
Citronella Oil is a naturally occurring insect repellant distilled from the leaves and stems of different species of lemongrass (cymbopogon). It has lemony/grassy/sweet smell and is a yellow to brown oil. Citronella primarily works at repelling instead of killing insects. It’s strong scent often masks other scents that are attractive to insects, making it hard for them to find their target (your horse). The hope is that the fly or mosquito moves on because it can’t smell your horse. The efficacy of citronella oil is debatable, some studies show it does a great job at repelling bugs and other studies refute that. Most studies agree that for citronella to be effective it needs to be applied to the skin frequently (as opposed to citronella candles which don’t seem to work well). Citronella Oil is safe and relatively non-toxic and a better alternative ingredient to pesticides. However with all essential oils there is a chance of allergic reaction and some horses can be allergic it.
Citronella Oil is rich in antioxidants and has antimicrobial properties. It can help condition your horse’s hair, protect it from the sun and prevent fungus. Many natural fly and coat sprays utilize citronella oil and there are even some shampoos that use it. I have ordered a few to try and am curious to see if it gives residual bug repelling help.
My favorite citronella containing fly spray (and the one that seems to work the best) is Dac’s Citronella Spray. It is a water based spray that contains citronella, rosemary and cedar oils. It is pesticide-free and non-toxic. It smells amazing too with an earthy, cinnamon, lemon smell with a touch of piñon wood. It reminds me of Santa Fe every time I spray it. My horses instantly stop stomping after I spray them and it seems to last awhile too. I like that I can breathe it in and not worry about it harming me or my horses. It is available from Dac and NRSWorld.
You can also purchase Citronella Oil and use it to make your own fly spray. Use it alone with water or mix with other fly repelling ingredients. This is my favorite homemade fly/mosquito spray:
