Choosing a bug repellant

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Radio interview source: Kendra VanSpyk, brand manager, Cutters

We've had so much rain this year, the mosquitoes have been on a rampage. When you live in the country, you encounter a lot of biting insects.

Kendra VanSpyk works with insect repellants and says there are several active ingredients to choose from. For the most harsh conditions, DEET is the chemical of choice. The DEET percentage on the label indicates how long the product will last.

"If you are going to be walking your dog at dusk, then you might want to use a lighter DEET, maybe a 7%, which gives you protection up to about two hours," VanSpyk says. "But if you're going to be out for a long period of time, maybe hiking in the woods, you would want to use the higher percentage of DEET that offers longer protection."

If you're not a fan of products with DEET in them, VanSpyk suggests using an alternative repellant such as the brand Picaridin.

"If you're someone who's concerned about the cosmetic feel of the repellant and you don't want to know that you're wearing a repellant, Picaridin's really great because it's got that light, non-greasy, non-oily feel to it and it's odorless," VanSpyk says. "It's also good if you're going to be handling plastics or synthetic materials, so perhaps if you're going fishing it's not going to harm your fishing line or tackle box."

DEET is known as a "plasticizer" and will eat into plastics.