When the weather begins to warm after a long winter, we begin to look forward to enjoying some fresh air. But what about those annoying mosquitos? This is a fantastic herbal balm for mosquito bites! It can heal those pesky, itchy mosquito bites in as little as one hour!
Growing Up with Herbal Remedies
When spring is in full bloom and flowers are popping up everywhere, I get excited. After a long hard winter, we finally get fresh greens! Dandelions are abundant which means delicious omelets, dandelion jelly, and more. Some of my favorite wild greens include wild onions, nettles, and lambs quarter to name a few. As spring moves forward and the weather continues to warm, I watch our medicinal herb garden flourish. In Iowa, rain and warmer weather mean mushrooms will be popping up soon!
This brings back a lot of memories from my childhood, tagging along in the woods with my dad. Everything would feel and smell so fresh. Sometimes he would kneel down, nip off a plant and give it to me to nibble on. He would often say things like, “Try this, never eat that, this makes a good poultice for stings and burns…” His knowledge about wild plants was vast and overwhelming at times. I wondered if I would ever learn what I needed to know to share this knowledge with my children someday. Even as a child I knew these skills were quickly fading.
My Mom’s Famous Herbal Balm for Mosquito Bites
While my dad loved foraging for plants, my mom used her knowledge and passion for herbs in her cooking and making herbal medicine. She came up with a salve to treat mosquito bites by combining plants Dad foraged and fresh herbs from the garden. This salve is incredible, and something I use and make today for my family.
It is always funny watching people put this medicine on. It is an earthy green goop they wearily rub into their skin. The itch remains for several minutes, making people doubt the medicine is going to work. They return to conversation, going on about their business. Once they realize their bug bite no longer itches, they look to find the bug bite is often completely gone. She became known among family and friends for her mosquito bite herbal balm!
Learning About Herbal Medicine
If you are interested in learning about what medicinal plants grow in your area start with learning about one or two plants. The key is identifying species correctly. If in doubt refrain from harvesting. Some plants can be easily mistaken for another. Use caution and never harvest if you are not 100% sure on the identification of the plant.
A book my mom used was called Herbal Medicine: The Natural Way to Get Well and Stay Well by Dian Dincin Buchman. I do not believe this is still in print, however I found it at Thrift Books, Ebay, and Amazon. After using herbal medicine my entire life, and I still feel like I have only dipped my toe in it. So much of what we used were plants that grew right around our home. Most plants have multiple uses, so do some research about what grows in and around your area. Plantain is a plant that typically grows in front yards or lawns. As always, never use a plant you are unsure about. Some plants can resemble others so be absolutely certain you are harvesting the plant you intend to.
When and How to Harvest Medicinal Plants
Harvesting early in the morning is the best time of day to gather your plants and herbs. Try to harvest healthy and vibrant leaves, free of blemishes. Refrain from harvesting more than one or two leaves from each plant or stalk.
Where to Harvest Medicinal Plants
If I need a plant I do not have on my property, I try to avoid harvesting anything along the roadside or in ditches. If you are unable to find the plant locally, a great resource for purchasing herbs online is Mountain Rose Herbs. It is important to find a trusted source, especially if you are going to use them in medicine. Some companies are not as careful about where they are harvesting or how much they are harvesting, so do your research.
How to Use Herbal Remedies
Knowing how and when to use herbal remedies is essential for best results. Applying the herbal balm as soon as you realize you have a mosquito bite will yield the best results. Putting the medicine on a day-old bite might result in a longer healing process. This technique applies to most areas of herbal medicine. The best results are found when applying or using the medicine at first onset of symptoms.
About the Herbs in this Recipe
- Plantain Leaves – Plantain grows in just about everyone’s lawn and backyard. Ensure you are harvesting from a place that is free of pesticides or other chemical sprays. Plantain has so many benefits, and the method doesn’t even have to be fancy. If you get a bee sting, simply pluck a leaf or two (preferably a younger leaf), chew it up in your mouth and place it on the sting. It will help draw out the venom, reduce swelling, as well as pain.
- Comfrey Leaves and Root – Comfrey is also known as “knitting bone”. It is an excellent plant for topical use, however, not recommended for internal use. A couple of years ago I accidentally slammed my hand in the trunk of the car so hard the door actually latched. How I managed not to break a bone, I have no earthy idea. Certain my hand would be black and blue, I grabbed some fresh comfrey leaves, lightly steamed them (the leaves can be a bit course), wrapped my had in leaves, covered them in plastic wrap, and bandaged my hand for the night. The next morning, I woke up, undid my bandage, only to discover there was absolutely no bruising. My hand was slightly sore, but I could move my fingers freely. I let the skin breath for a few hours before reapplying the bandage for a few hours at a time throughout that day, and then again that evening. The next day, my hand felt completely normal. I will caution you, though, that comfrey can heal almost too quickly. Comfrey should not be used on puncture wounds. This is because puncture wounds are difficult to get completely clean. Because comfrey heals so quickly, it can trap harmful bacteria in the wound. This often results in an abscess or another harmful infection. As a result, it sometimes traps harmful bacteria, resulting in infection. Closed wounds such as sprains, swelling, and bruising can benefit greatly from comfrey leaves and roots.
- Yarrow – Yarrow is an excellent insect repellent (including mosquitos). It is an excellent plant to treat rashes, burns, bug bites, and stings. Yarow can also be used for things such as fevers, aches, coughs, and colds. If you are not familiar with yarrow, it can be confused with Queen Anne’s Lace or even Poison Hemlock. Please be very careful when harvesting if you are unsure of what to look for. Once you have seen yarrow, you will be able to distinguish it from the other plants rather easily.
- Violet – My mom always threw in a few violet leaves and flowers. It worked well to help synergize the herbs.
- Safflower Oil – You can use pretty much any oil such as almond, olive oil, or coconut oil, but my mom always used safflower oil.
- Benzoin Tincture – Natural antiseptic, fights inflammation.
- Beeswax – Helps to thicken the salve. Placing some melted beeswax over the top helps to preserve the salve. This helps the medicine keep for several years. Reach out to one of your local beekeepers to find some locally!
Herbal Balm for Mosquito Bite Recipe
Equipment
- 1 stainless steel pot
- 1 sieve or cheesecloth
Materials
- 1/2 cup plantain leaves lightly packed, or 1/4 cup dried
- 1/2 cup yarrow lightly packed, or 1/4 cup dried
- 1/2 cup comfrey lightly packed, or 1/4 cup dried
- 1 handful violet leaves and flowers barely a handful
- 3 drops benzoine tincture
- 32 ounces safflower oil
- 2½ – 3 tbsp beeswax 1-1½ ounces beeswax per 4 ounces of final liquid
Instructions
- Gather your herbs and rinse them off in a colander (if using fresh).
- Place the rinsed herbs into a stainless-steel pot, then add the safflower oil and water. Cover loosely with a lid, keeping it cracked to allow steam to escape and bring to a low simmer. Allow mixture to continue simmering on low heat for several hours. Be sure to check periodically to see if you need to add more water. We do not want anything to burn.
- After several hours of simmering, use a fine mesh strainer to remove the plants from the liquid. Add the beeswax to the liquid and stir until it is fully melted. It helps to shave the beeswax into small bits or cut it into smaller chunks allowing it to melt faster.
- Carefully ladle the salve into some 4-ounce glass jars with lids. Be sure to have the jars sitting on a towel as you do this, just as you would if you were canning.
- Allow the salve to cool completely.
- Once the salve has completely cooled, melt some additional beeswax and pour it over the top of the medicine. This works to seal the medicine for long term storage. My mom would keep this medicine in the cabinet for several years without compromising the effectiveness.
Notes
- You do not have to use safflower oil specifically; it is just what my mom always used. Other options that would be good to use would be olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil.
- Be sure to list the ingredients on the jars. I have never had anyone experience an allergic reaction to this medicine in the decades we have used it, however, this is best practice when it comes to homemade remedies, medicines, and salves.
- I have also put in other herbs such as rosemary which has yielded excellent results.
