The Best Mosquito Repellants to Get You Through Another Maine Summer

Even though I've been a lifelong resident of Maine, I still can not stand mosquitos when I'm outside trying to enjoy the summer.  Working on the garden, around the campfire or having a family BBQ can all be ruined for me when mosquitos are in full force.  They seem to really like me.

Luckily for us, a few products are available out there that could make being outdoors a little more bearable in a world full of blood thirsty mosquitos.

According to a study published by the Journal of Insect Science, there are a few products for you to consider when searching for an effective bug spray this summer when you're out camping in the woods of Maine or just trying to enjoy your backyard.

1. OFF Deep Woods insect repellent VIII (25% DEET)

According to the survey, this bug spray managed not only to be the most effective at deterring mosquitos at initial application but also tested the best when tested 4 hours after application.

2.  Repel 100 insect repellent (98.11% DEET)

This product didn't test as the most effective spray at initial application, if only by 4 percentage points, but did prove to be far more effective than any other product after a 4 hour period.

3. Cutter Skinsations insect repellent (7.0% DEET)

This spray smells great and is very effective at deterring pesky mosquitos.  Hey, it moisturizes, too!

4.  Cutter lemon eucalyptus insect repellent

Another strong contender for great deterrence at application time is this DEET-free alternative.  If you are looking for a more natural repellent than Lemon Eucalyptus is what you're looking for.

Not only did this product perform as good as the DEET-free products on initial application, performing second-most effective, but also stayed more effective four hours later after the initial application compared to it's DEET-free counterparts, again coming in as second-most effective.