Connecticut Green Living

North Carolina State University researchers say they have created insecticide-free, mosquito-resistant clothing using textile materials. In a press release issued last week, North Carolina said this was proven in experiments with live mosquitoes after developing materials from a computational model of their own design. Researchers modeled for the behavior of Aedes aegypti , the mosquito that carries viruses that cause human diseases like Dengue fever, yellow fever and Zeka, prompting the experiments detailed in the journal Insects . In encounters with the pesky insects, they prevented 100 percent of bites when a volunteer wore their special clothing - a base layer undergarment and a combat shirt initially designed for the military - in a cage with 200 live, disease-free mosquitoes. Researchers think their computational model could be used more widely to develop clothing to reduce transmission of disease. "The fabric is proven to work - that's the great thing we discovered,...

I will admit, I find it laughable that we're worrying about mosquitoes in Connecticut. I spent seven months in South Texas and couldn't even venture outdoors to rake for 10 minutes without coming back looking like I had measles on my legs. Not just bites, but huge blotches. That said, I am aware that we do have mosquitoes in the Northeast and I do not want any of those nasty bites, especially considering the risks attached to them (e.g. Zika virus). Enter PARA’KITO™. That's a very fancy way to write the name of a product to keep bugs away, but I will indulge the company's creative team. I am told that it touts "a unique blend of essential oils, patented slow-release technology and super-smart product design" and PARA’KITO™ products "offer the ultimate mosquito protection in a stylish way". Stylish, yes. For example, the wearable bands and clips are waterproof, easily adjustable and offer a slow release of mosquito-get-the-heck-away protection over ...