Waking up to find oneself covered in skin rashes and itchy blisters can have consequences for the rest of one’s day, week, or even month. The most common culprit for this unpleasant surprise is none other than the tiny bed bug. By feeding on warm-blooded mammals and staying hidden in the seams of mattresses or tiny crevices in walls, they can quickly infest entire rooms, homes, and even buildings.
While plants are not a surefire way of keeping bed bugs out, they should at least help reduce the chances of spread. Unfortunately, they will do little in the face of well-established communities of bed bugs and fleas. If you suspect that your home is already plagued by colonies of pests, directly consult your local exterminators.
The means by which plants usually repel insects like fleas, bed bugs, and flies is by producing complex essential oils. These are stored, in various concentrations, in their leaves, stems, roots, and flowers. The oils do not simply vaporize or become given off by plants to waft around the garden or room. More often than not, they are released only when the plant is rubbed or mechanically damaged. To obtain a decent amount of the oils, they will need to be collected using various extraction techniques.
Unfortunately, this means that only the most scent-sensitive insects and grazers are repelled by intact plants. In their whole form and on their own, these plants may not effectively keep bed bugs away. However, their oils can be used in conjunction with other forms of prevention. Moreover, their repellent scent can be distributed around key areas using cuttings, oil-infused sprays, and diffusers.
1) Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
Commercially cultivated for their fragrant essential oils, several lavender species have traditionally been used as ornamentals, culinary herbs, and natural repellents. These perennials produce a sweetly-scented oil with varied concentrations of insecticidal phytochemicals. The major constituents of these oils include linalool, camphor, tannins, linalyl acetate, and caryophyllene.
Lavender buds are especially fragrant and may continue to emit a strong scent even once they have been dried. These can be harvested and placed around key parts of the home, ideally in bundles with fragrant cuttings from other herbs. You may also carry dried lavender buds in your luggage to, hopefully, deter bed bugs from seeking shelter in your clothes while you’re traveling.
Another great way to incorporate the scent of lavender into your closets, bedroom, or luggage would be to create lavender sachets. These are tiny pouches containing sprigs of lavender, rice grains, and the dried leaves of other herbs. The herbal scent exits through the porous material of the pouch. To increase their longevity, make sure to use fresh cuttings for sachets. You may tuck these around corners of the bed or place a few in your luggage.
2) Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Known for its fascinating effect on felines, catnip is a wonderful herb with relaxant properties. A member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), it is often cultivated as an ornamental plant and as a source of its essential oil. This chiefly contains nepetalactone, a compound that has been shown to be valuable as a fly and mosquito-repellent. As a whole, catnip oil may also be used to repel cockroaches, termites, and yes, even bedbugs.
Researchers have compared the efficacy of catnip oil to that of DEET, which is the active chemical ingredient in many mass-produced insect repellents. When used to prevent bed bugs from infesting soiled clothing, catnip oil has the potential to be significantly more effective than DEET. While its effects do last for up to 24 hours, however, it is not particularly promising as a long-term repellent.
Of course, as an intact garden plant, catnip may not be the best at keeping pests away. Keep in mind that its concentrated oils must be extracted or be forced to seep out of the plant for their scent to be released. To an extent, cats that directly rub themselves on the freshly harvested leaves may deter bed bugs from seeking shelter in their fur.
3) Geraniums (Pelargonium spp.)
Often favored by horticulturists for their vivid blooms, fragrant foliage, and minimal needs as ornamental plants, geraniums are some of the most rewarding herbs to grow in an insect-repellent garden. The leaves and blooms have several uses. They can be used to add color and flavor to culinary creations. They can also be cultivated for their valuable oils.
Geranium-derived essential oils are rich in monoterpene alcohol called ‘geraniol’. This colorless chemical compound is frequently added to perfumes, candles, and fragrant insect repellents. Mosquitoes typically dislike the scent of geranium oils, so it’s highly likely that many other small insects will try to keep their distance.
If you’re in need of a non-toxic, pleasantly-scented solution for repelling bed bugs, try searching for geranium extracts or simply grow a few mounds of popular geranium cultivars. Create a water-based spray using the oil extract and routinely target your luggage and other areas that are most likely to be infested by bugs.
4) Citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus)
Ever since citronella oil was found to be quite effective at repelling mosquitoes, an increasing number of organic repellents have begun to incorporate it as a primary ingredient. The essential oil, which is usually extracted from grass cuttings using steam distillation, contains chemicals like citronellal, citronellol, and geraniol. Collectively, these can function as a biopesticide for the prevention of pest infestations in tropical regions.
Citronella oil has been found to be quite unfavorable to bed bugs, especially when used as a fumigant or when applied to the bugs directly. In formulations with the essential oils of other fragrant and naturally insecticidal herbs, citronella oil definitely has the potential to be an all-around “green” means of repelling bed bugs.
Keep in mind that, while this species’ intact foliage may serve as a deterrent to outdoor pests, its oils need to be extracted in order to function in a more active manner. You may spread cuttings of the leaves around areas where bed bug infestations may occur, but it would be wiser to simply make use of a spray with the extracted oils.
5) Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
One of the most widely used hybrids in the mint family (Lamiaceae), peppermint is a popular herb with uses extending from the garden to the home kitchen. Its aromatic oil, which is known for its strong, menthol fragrance, also has applications in the pharmaceutical industry. When applied to the skin, the oil produces a cool sensation that helps relieve nerve and muscle pains.
Rich in compounds like menthone and menthol, peppermint also contains natural pesticides like pulegone and beta-pinene. Collectively, these phytochemicals repel troublesome insects and rodents, preventing them from wreaking havoc on and infesting herb gardens. Peppermint oil can supposedly be used to kill bed bugs as well. The scent alone should cause them to flee a room.
To temporarily discourage bed bugs from seeking shelter in your mattress, walls, and clothes, it may be prudent to use non-toxic, fragrant products like peppermint-based sprays and eco-friendly candles. You may also grow the plant itself in indoor locations. Occasionally harvest the leaves to release the shoot’s oils.
6) Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum spp.)
Pyrethrins, which naturally occur in the fertilized ovaries of chrysanthemum blooms, are some of the most lethal compounds to insects. These can target the nervous systems of common pests like bed bugs, flies, and fleas.
In managed doses, pyrethrins can also function as a natural insect repellent. In larger doses and in their synthetic forms, they can act as broad-strength pesticides for either indoor or outdoor use. Note, however, that large doses of these chemicals are best administered by professional exterminators. In the form of a water-based suspension or powder, pyrethrins can force existing infestations of bed bugs out of hiding.
Apart from reducing the chances of bed bug infestations in the home, chrysanthemums should also help filter pollutants from indoor air. A thriving chrysanthemum should bring many ornamental and ecological benefits to just about any location. Nonetheless, in the case of serious bed bug infestations, industrial-strength, pyrethrin-based products may be necessary.
7) Common sage (Salvia officinalis)
Burning sage is an age-old means of neutralizing indoor air. Some religions harbor the belief that it can ward off evil, prevent disaster, and increase a woman’s chances of bearing children. While the latter have their bases on spiritual beliefs, they highlight the restorative power of the herb’s sweet scent. Though favored by us, the scent is absolutely detested by insects and many other troublesome pests.
The complex essential oil of sage is responsible for its strong scent and peppery taste. Rich in phytochemicals like camphor, thujone, and cineole, it can be toxic when ingested in large doses. When vaporized using an indoor diffuser, pure extracts of the oil can supposedly repel bed bugs. When dealing with infestations, however, sage oil vapors may not be strong enough to effectively wipe them out.
As a preventive measure, you may distribute sage leaves or cuttings around key areas of your home. Create sage bundles with the buds and leaves of other herbs, especially those which are known for the insecticidal properties of their essential oils. If you’re traveling and you wish to reduce the chances of bed bugs hitchhiking in your luggage, don’t hesitate to pack a few sprigs of sage!
