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Bug repellent made from coconut oil could work better than chemicals

Compounds derived from coconut oil are more effective at repelling insects than chemicals, a new study has revealed. Research by the US Department of Agriculture found that fatty acids derived from coconut oil had long-lasting insect-repelling properties against a number of insects including flies, ticks, bed bugs and mosquitos. Lead researcher Junwei Zhu asserted that it was the compounds extracted from coconut oil – not the oil itself – which were found to be effective.