The Best Herbs to Help Deter Pests
Posted by Mosquito Squad
July 21, 2025
Author: Emma Grace Crumbley, Entomologist
From fragrant herbs to vibrant flowers, some plants don’t just add beauty to your garden—they act as natural pest deterrents, protecting your space while promoting a healthier, eco-friendly environment.
Herbs That Do More Than Flavor
Herbs are great plants to add to your home garden. They’re low maintenance, easy to manage, and they spice up your dishes while spicing up the biodiversity in your backyard. But did you know that some herbs also have insecticidal and repellent properties? It’s true! Some scents and oils emitted by herbs can repel pests like mosquitoes, flies, aphids, and beetles from damaging your plants and bugging you in your backyard. The key is knowing where to plant them and how to use them.
How Aromatic Herbs Can Help Protect Your Yard
Flying pests, like mosquitoes, are sensitive to chemical sensory cues in the air column. As they’re flying around, they use smells wafting in the air to influence where they fly. When certain herbs are crushed, or their scents are diffused, mosquitoes pick up that information and process it as either attractive or repellent. Growing mosquito repellent plants may help repel mosquitoes if you plan to cut them and spread their scent throughout your yard regularly, allowing it to be carried by the wind.
Crawling pests such as beetles, aphids, roaches, and destructive caterpillars are most susceptible to herbs that secrete oils on their leaves and stems. These surface chemicals get picked up by crawling insects when they either use their antennae to smell their environments or when they step on oily surfaces that irritate their feet. Growing garden pest-repellent plants may not involve as much cutting and diffusing of their herby scents, since these pests are more focused on how the surface of the plant smells and feels.
Check out this list of EPA Recognized Herbs and Plant Oils to help you decide the best plant for your yard:
|
Herbal Oil / Extract |
Repels or Controls |
| Peppermint oil | Ants, spiders, mosquitoes, cockroaches, fleas |
| Rosemary oil | Mosquitoes, ticks, flies, aphids |
| Thyme oil | Mites, mosquitoes, lice |
| Cinnamon oil | Mosquito larvae, ants, and bed bugs |
| Clove oil | Ants, wasps, beetles, cockroaches |
| Lemongrass oil | Mosquitoes, gnats, fleas, and ticks |
| Geraniol (from geraniums) | Mosquitoes, flies, and ticks |
| Eugenol (from clove/basil) | Insects like mosquitoes and flies |
Looking for a greener pest control solution? Look no further! Mosquito Squad Plus locations nationwide are now offering a new, natural treatment option that helps control mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, ants, and other pests in your yard: Mosquito Squad Plus Essential Botanical Insecticide. Call your local Mosquito Squad today to learn more about this service option and get a free quote! Services vary by location.