Does Neem Oil Work?
Cold pressed neem derived oil was scientifically tested by Edinburgh based researchers Dr Allison Blackwell and Dr Andrew Evans. Their results were published at the 8th Annual Symposium on Complementary Health Care. The research showed that midges can sense neem oil and avoid it. A concentration of neem oil as low as 0.01% was enough to reduce midge biting and at 1% biting was almost totally inhibited. A compound containing 2% neem oil was then developed and cage tested, proving that neem can be an effective midge repellent. Many products on the market today incorporate pure neem oil in their manufacture, for instance you can buy neem based oils, soap and creams. These might be an attractive alternative for those who prefer to buy something more natural than the man-made products such as those based on DEET.
