I have a friend that uses the natural cedar oil from Juniperus Virginiana. She uses a specific product containing the extracted oil called Dr. Bens Personal Insect Repellent Cedar Oil on both her dogs and cats for fleas, ticks, mosquitos, bed bugs, lice, mites, mange, roaches, ants and other prasites. She absolutely swears by it that it works. It's an all natural product. She sent me this information below about it. It something I'm definitely going to try out!
"There have been numerous studies that show when delivered in small amounts the aroma will overwhelm most insects. The lingering aroma of Juniperus Virginiana Oil is a pherome interruption agent that impairs the mental capacity of non-beneficial insects, it has no effect on beneficial insects such as lady bugs, honey bees, lizards, earth worms, butterflies, and toads. It is safefor large and small animals, people and children.
This product was tested by Iowa State University at the request of the United States Department of Agriculture for the use of the United States Army in Iraq to eliminate the Desert Sand Flea problem that our troops are encountering, which chemical treatments were either ineffective or causing rashes. The test results were astonishing - this redcedar oil product was RATED far superior to its chemical counterpart. These same products were tested and proven to not only kill Mosquito's, Flea's & Bed Bugs, but is one of the "ONLY KNOWN SUBSTANCES KNOWN TO MAN THAT WILL KILL THE FLEA, ITS EGGS AND LARVEA THE FIRST TIME" Studies found Cedar Juniperus Virginiana to be Non-Toxic. Article from the Dept. of Biomedical Sciences - College of Vet. Medicine, Oregon State University - (
http://juniper.orst.edu/craig.pdf)
Most nuisance insects, particularly mosquitoes and flea’s, rely on a keen sense of smell to seek food and find a comfortable place to reproduce. This unique Cedar Oil penetrates the insects’ breathing apparatus and confuses their sense of smell to the point that they will either leave the treated area to regain their equilibrium or become overwhelmed and die. Beneficial insects such as ladybugs and butterflies are not affected because they tend to rely on their sense of sight rather than smell. When an area is treated with the Juniperus Virginiana Cedar Oil formulation, non-beneficial insects have no choice but to retreat. The encapsulated formula is very slow to decompose, forming a barrier to prevent insect re-entry. The repelling effects remain long after the cedar scent is non-detectable to human senses.
Juniperus Virginiana Cedar wood has been used for 1000's of years as one of mother nature's own insect repellents, Texas cattle fences are built with Juniperus cedar post which naturally resist decay and pest infestation for 50 years or more. The Cedars of Lebanon were used to build King Solomon's' Tomb. The Egyptians used papaya leaves soaked in cedar oil in the mummification of their dead. In the U.S. our pioneering forefathers used cedar sawdust on the floors of their cabins to rid them from countless pests. Native Americans would rub their bodies with cedar needles to prevent mosquitoes and other biting bugs from feasting on them."