Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 14/01) - As the weather cools, Yellowknifers forget about summer's nastiest pest -- mosquitoes. But the little creatures are still on the minds of researchers in Iowa.

Cats that get a regular dose of catnip may have a better chance of repelling mosquitoes. Research at Iowa State University indicates a substance in catnip appears to be an effective repellent. - NNSL file photo

There, lab experiments at Iowa State University have found that catnip is 10 times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET, the chemical in many commercial bug sprays.

Catnip -- best known for lighting your cat's fire -- is a mint-related plant that grows wild in North America.

Researchers placed mosquitoes inside a glass tube treated with a high dose of nepetalactone--the essential oil that gives the plant its odour.

After 10 minutes, about 80 per cent of the insects high-tailed it over to the tube's untreated side.

"That catnip might be repellent to insects was something we first heard about in folklore," said entomologist Chris Peterson who conducted the experiments.

Peterson explained the plants have a natural way of protecting themselves from insects. "The plant releases its oil and the insect goes elsewhere," he said.

"When catnip plants are in the wild, you see little evidence of insect damage."

It's possible that after further study, catnip could be manufactured and sold as a natural bug spray for humans, animals and the environment.

But Peterson is quick to point out that natural doesn't automatically mean harmless.

In other words, although the neighbourhood cats may appreciated it, don't smear catnip all over yourself next summer, or plant a barrier of catnip around your house.

"There are other things in the plant that may cause allergic reactions in sensitive people," he said, cautioning that safety tests haven't been conducted.

"If people are researching natural alternatives to DEET, great," said local naturalist and author, Jamie Bastedo. "Not that I'm anti-DEET, but anything over 15 percent is overkill.

Bastedo added that DEET has been linked to headaches, restlessness, unexplained crying spells and delusions

"That might explain some of the stories by dope-smearing fishermen," he joked.