On Mon, 12 May 2003 22:00:57 -0400, Dane Bramage WhereAmI@anyway?
wrote:

snip
knows?) anyway, I found that a sprig or 3 of peppermint tucked under
my hat keeps the bugs away.

I wish our problem were that easy. I tried various mint plants
without much effect. Even with using DEET, I had a tick crawling on
my leg but was lucky he did not dig in. Our school counseler got Lyme
disease, and did not realize how serious this can be. Along with the
DEET, make sure there is no standing water anywhere--gutters, bird
baths, old tires, containers, saucers, watering cans, etc. It takes a
mosquito to hatch, pupate, and emerge in about a week so if you flush
out your birdbath twice a week it will be fine. I've got hundreds of
rosy reds in my pond which are very fond of mosquito larva.