: Image by Nicholas_T via Flickr

Permethrin as an Insecticide

Hiking and backpacking have their annoyances, and one of these is insects. So, it is common for hikers and backpackers to carry some form of insect repellent with them on the trail. There are a number of active ingredients that manufacturers use to create insect repellents. These include, but are not limited to, citronella, DEET, and Picaridin.

One of the most effective and most popular of these active ingredients is DEET. Having been around since 1946, this chemical-based repellent has attained the honored status of the gold standard of insect repellents. But it has one nasty side effect: It is hard on clothing.

PERMETHRIN: AN ALTERNATIVE

What I want to concentrate on briefly in this post is another active ingredient used in insect repellents: permethrin. This repellent, approved and used in the United States since 1979, has a unique property. It does not, unlike DEET, harm most fabrics. In fact, it is designed for use on clothing. You can treat clothing by spraying on permethrin or by soaking clothing in a permethrin-based solution.

Permethrin has some other laudable qualities as well. Here are a few:

1. It kills or repels more than 50 insects, including mosquitoes, ticks and mites, that come into contact with the clothing or bed netting treated with it.

2. It seldom irritates skin.

3. Considered biodegradable, it has proven to not accumulate in the environment.

4. One application of permethrin can last up to six weeks and six washings.

5. It can be effective against some insects, including ticks, without the additional use of a topical repellent.

CAUTIONS

One caution about permethrin is that it should not be allowed to enter a sewer system or water supply in liquid form. Once it has dried on clothing, though, the risk has disappeared.

Another caution is that it is toxic to cats.

CONCLUSIONS

Permethrin, one choice among several insecticide ingredients, might just be the right choice for you and your hiking or backpacking situation.

By Richard Davidian, Ph.D.