For decades, applying DEET has been the principal method for avoiding mosquito bites. Now scientists have developed other options.
When venturing out into tick territory, wear the right clothes: long sleeves and long pants coated with permethrin. This can deter ticks and reduce the risk of bites.
A reader reports success using coconut oil on the skin to repel mosquitoes and ticks. There is a little science to support its use against tick bites.