Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE)
OLE is a synthetic mosquito repellent. OLE is not the same as lemon eucalyptus oil, which research has not deemed an effective repellent. Research has found that OLE is as effective as other mosquito repellents like DEET - Kathleen Felton
HWN Suggests
How Well Does Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus Work in Bug Sprays?
Let’s start with what OLE isn’t: It’s not an essential oil, despite a name that would understandably make you think otherwise. Instead, it’s refined from oil extracted from the Australian plant Corymbia citriodora, aka lemon-scented gum. (That’s another misleading aspect of the name oil of lemon eucalyptus: Corymbia citriodora used to be considered a member of the Eucalyptus genus, but it isn’t anymore.) The main component of oil of lemon eucalyptus that gives it its repellency to bugs is a chemical called p-Menthane-3,8-diol, or PMD. PMD came to the attention of U.S. scientists in the 1990s after they learned that a Chinese insect repellent called Quwenling was performing better than many…
Featured
Mosquito repellents: ‘Lemon Eucalyptus Oil’ is not ‘Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus’!
In a nutshell, lemon eucalyptus essential oil is mainly citronellal with a small variable amount of PMD and is not approved for use in disease endemic areas due to its lack of efficacy. In contrast ‘oil of lemon eucalyptus’ is mainly PMD, which provides highly effective mosquito protection, and is approved for use in all disease endemic areas. Unfortunately people often confuse these two quite distinct products. For example, journalists often report ‘oil of lemon eucalyptus’ studies as showing the efficacy of lemon eucalyptus essential oil. Even some aromatherapists, who should know better, perpetuate this confusion by recommending lemon eucalyptus essential oil as a mosquito repellent for protection against the zika virus. It is not approved for this purpose for good reason.
Articles of Interest
Does Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus Really Work as an Insect Repellent
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is often confused with Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is actually different from lemon eucalyptus essential oil. Although they share many similarities, using a quality-grade oil of lemon eucalyptus will provide you with better results at repelling mosquitoes than the citrus flavor of the essential oil alone. However, this often means using a synthetic oil of lemon eucalyptus that may cause skin irritations to some.
Mythbusting: Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil as a Mosquito Repellent
So if you prefer using a naturally derived insect repellent product when mosquitoes arrive at your garden party, you can ‘disinvite’ them by using a product containing PMD. While you certainly can still use lemon eucalyptus essential oil as part of a homemade insect blend, you cannot expect the same level of protection as a product containing oil of lemon eucalyptus.
How to Repel Mosquitoes Safely
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends OLE repellents as an effective alternative to DEET. OLE masks both carbon dioxide and lactic acid exhalations that alert mosquitoes to our presence, hiding humans from detection. Only formulated, refined OLE is registered by the agency as a repellent; note that “pure” lemon eucalyptus oil is registered for safety, but not repellent effectiveness by EPA. A synthetic version of the active ingredient in OLE, p-Menthane-3,8-diol, is also on the market, but Beyond Pesticides suggests considering the refined, natural extract. Protection times are similar to DEET-based repellents. • Cautions: Do not apply to children less than 3 years of age. • Product Examples: Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent, Cutter Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent. • Estimated Time of Effectiveness: 3-7 hours in areas with aggressive mosquito populations, up to 12 hours in other areas.
Is Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus as Effective as DEET?
OLE is the only plant-based ingredient recommended by the CDC and, according to a CDC report, when oil of lemon eucalyptus was tested against mosquitoes in the U.S., it provided a similar level of protection to repellents containing DEET. The CDC doesn’t recommend lemon eucalyptus essential oil because it hasn’t gone through testing for safety and efficacy and isn’t registered as an insect repellent.
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus
If you’re looking for a DEET free alternative to create a mosquito barrier, then OLE is a great option. Derived from the leaves of the Eucalyptus citriodora tree, oil of lemon eucalyptus repels mosquitoes for up to six hours. You can use oil of lemon eucalyptus-based products on children 3 years and older.
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus as an Insect Repellent
One plant-derived alternative that has sparked particular attention of late is oil of lemon eucalyptus. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD is the active ingredient) is one of only three products (DEET, picaridin, and PMD) recommended to protect against West Nile virus, a serious virus spread by mosquitoes that can cause neurological disease or even death.
What Is Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus?
Plant-based mosquito repellents have been around since the 1950s. Research has found that one plant-based repellent deemed effective against mosquitoes is oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) extract. OLE extract—known as p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD)—derives from the leaves of lemon eucalyptus trees and is chemically synthesized. Usually, OLE comes as a spray but is also found in lotions. OLE works as a repellent against biting flies and gnats. In 2000, the Environmental Protection Agency approved OLE as an insecticide.
Resources
Citrefine
Citriodiol® is our registered trade name for the active “Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus” (OLE), also known as Eucalyptus citriodora oil, hydrated, cyclized (EC Oil (H/C))
