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How to W*1n the Battle of e Bugs <br />You don't need harsh chemicals to keep the biters at bay. We reveal new, safer options. <br />OULD YOU RATHER be eaten alive by mosquitoes <br />and ticks that can carry debilitating —and even <br />deadly— diseases or douse yourself in harmful <br />repellents full of potentially dangerous chemi- <br />cals? Almost three - quarters of Americans say <br />they worry more about insect - carried diseases, <br />such as Lyme and West Nile as well as newer threats like chikun- <br />gunya and Powassan, according to a recent Consumer Reports <br />survey of 2,011 U.S. adults. <br />Here's the real dilemma, though: Most people also say that <br />safety is key when they choose a repellent, but only about a <br />third think the products now on the market are safe for adults. <br />Even fewer -23 percent —think the repellents are safe for kids. <br />If you're conflicted about what to do, we have good news: For the <br />first time ever in Consumer Reports' tests of insect repellents, <br />new, safer products —made with milder, plantlike chemicals —were <br />the most effective. (See Ratings on page 36.) The top scorers <br />outperformed products that contained deet, a chemical that did <br />best in our previous Ratings but can cause serious side effects <br />(see the facing page). The active ingredients in the top repellents <br />are picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus, both chemically syn- <br />thesized compounds that are similar to or come from natural <br />ingredients. The secret sauce in best - scoring Sawyer Fisherman's <br />Formula is picaridin; in Repel Lemon Eucalyptus, it's oil of lemon <br />eucalyptus. They are not side -effect -free, but "those problems <br />are much less severe than deet," says Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., <br />executive director of Consumer Reports' Food Safety and Sus - <br />tainability Center. "Still, all repellents should be used sparingly <br />and only for the time you need them— especially on children <br />and older people." <br />That's why an effective bug- avoidance strategy requires a full <br />arsenal. Our new tests provide clarity on that, too, identifying <br />non - chemical approaches that offer some relief (setting up a fan <br />on your back patio, for example) and those that don't help much <br />if at all (think citronella candles, wristbands, and "all- natural" <br />products with geraniol, lemongrass, and rosemary oils). <br />The Swat Team Bares Arms <br />To find effective spray -on repellents, we went to an outside lab <br />and tested 15 pump sprays and aerosols. The products contained <br />34 JULY 2015 PHOTOGRAPH BY TRAVIS RATHBONE <br />