Last time, we discussed how the components of herbs like pyrethrum and thyme are used in insecticides for Varroa destructor. Ethyl alcohol is used to extract these active ingredients, and it seems that alcohol is often employed for extracting plant components in perfumes as well.  Alcohol is also used for the extraction of propolis. The method is very simple: after drying the herbs or medicinal plants you want to extract,  place them in a container and fill it with alcohol, letting it sit for a while so the essence can dissolve. I learned that lemongrass is used as an ingredient in insect repellent sprays, so I decided to try making my own.

Since I have plenty of lemongrass growing in my garden like a weed, I quickly cut some, bundled it up, and hung it upside down on the terrace.  After about two weeks, I decided to use it. Lemongrass belongs to the Poaceae family, the same botanical family as rice, and it is  a plant that closely resembles Japanese pampas grass. Lemongrass is essential in Thai dishes like Tom Yum Kung. If you soak it in  alcohol for about two weeks, extracting its components is quite simple. This applies not only to lemongrass but also to many herbs and  medicinal plants—most essences can be extracted using ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Lemongrass, in particular, is known to repel mosquitoes,  and by dissolving my homemade alcohol essence in water and using a spray bottle, I can create a great insect repellent.

Alcohol completely dissolves in water, allowing for flexible concentration adjustments, and I hang it from various trees in my garden.  This way, no matter where I am in the garden, I have insect repellent nearby, which is very convenient. Recently, I haven’t been bothered  by pesky mosquitoes even in the evening. In beekeeping, the work can only be done after all the worker bees have returned to the hive, making this spray an essential item at that time,  and it has been very useful. While it’s true that you can buy anything with money, there’s a special joy and satisfaction that comes from  making something yourself, especially when it proves to be useful.

That’s why I enjoy repairing and creating things whenever  I have the time; if I can create or fix something that works well, I often feel more attached to it than to something I purchased.