News

A walker and their dog on a frosty woodland trail at golden hour in winter, illustrating that ticks stay active on mild winter days.
Are Ticks Active in Winter? Year-Round Tick Protection Explained
Yes — ticks stay active in winter whenever it is above about 4–7°C. Adult ticks quest on mild days, so Lyme disease and TBE remain a year-round risk. Read more...
A person applying DEET-free insect repellent spray to their forearm on a sunlit garden path with wildflowers, illustrating safe daily use of insect repellent.
Is It Safe to Use Insect Repellent Every Day?
Yes — daily insect repellent use is safe for most adults when you follow the label, use only the amount needed and wash it off indoors afterwards. Read more...
incognito® DEET-free insect repellent spray on a mossy rock beside a rolled bandana on a sunny mountain hiking trail with wildflowers
The Best Insect Repellent for Hiking and Trekking
The best insect repellent for hiking and trekking uses a proven active like PMD, protects against mosquitoes and ticks, and packs light for the trail. Read more...
A peaceful summer meadow beside a calm river at golden hour, with a grassy footpath, wooden fence and distant grazing horses — the kind of countryside where horseflies are common.
Are Horsefly Bites Dangerous? How to Treat and Prevent Them
Most horsefly bites are painful but not dangerous. Learn how to treat a horsefly bite, spot the signs of infection, and prevent bites the DEET-free way. Read more...
How to Treat Insect Bites on Babies and Toddlers
Most insect bites on babies and toddlers are harmless: wash the bite, apply a cool compress, stop the scratching, and know the red flags for seeing a doctor. Read more...
A relaxed summer evening in a lush green garden at golden hour, with a wooden table and cold drinks — an on-brand, DEET-free outdoor scene for avoiding mosquito bites.
Do Mosquito Wristbands and Ultrasonic Apps Actually Work?
No — mosquito wristbands and ultrasonic apps do not reliably prevent bites. Here is what the evidence shows and what actually protects your skin. Read more...
incognito® DEET-free insect repellent spray on a sunlit garden table, illustrating how long repellent lasts and when to reapply
How Long Does Insect Repellent Last and When to Reapply?
Most insect repellents last around 4 to 8 hours. Follow the label, and reapply sooner after swimming, heavy sweating or rain — or as soon as you get bitten. Read more...
A sunlit grassy footpath through a European woodland edge in late summer, with a walker in long trousers tucked into socks heading away along the trail — typical tick habitat where Lyme disease is transmitted.
Lyme Disease Rash (Erythema Migrans): What It Looks Like and What to Do
Erythema migrans, the Lyme disease rash, appears 3–30 days after a tick bite as an expanding, usually painless red patch — often with no bull's-eye. Read more...
Two hikers with a dog walking a grassy path at the edge of a birch woodland in golden evening light — the kind of setting where mosquito and tick repellent matters
Picaridin vs PMD vs DEET: Which Repellent Ingredient Is Right for You?
DEET, picaridin and PMD are the three repellent actives health authorities recommend. Compare smell, skin feel, plastic damage and tick cover to choose. Read more...
Calm summer evening on a wooden garden terrace at golden hour, with a rattan chair, linen blanket and lavender in soft focus
Mosquito Bites vs Bed Bug vs Flea Bites: How to Tell the Difference
Mosquito bites are scattered singles on exposed skin, bed bug bites come in lines or clusters, and flea bites cluster around the ankles. Here is how to tell them apart. Read more...
Hiker walking along a sunlit woodland trail edged with tall summer grass and wildflowers
How to Remove a Tick Safely: A Step-by-Step Guide
Remove a tick safely with fine-tipped tweezers: grasp close to the skin, pull straight up, clean the bite and watch for symptoms. A step-by-step guide. Read more...
A lone hiker on an open, breezy heather ridge overlooking a Scottish Highland loch at golden hour — a calm evening outdoors during midge season.
Scottish Midges: How to Survive Midge Season
The Highland midge (Culicoides impunctatus) bites worst at dawn and dusk in still, humid weather. Learn when Scottish midge season peaks and how to avoid bites. Read more...
A person relaxing with a cup of tea on a garden patio at golden hour on a calm summer evening — incognito® DEET-free outdoor protection
What Attracts Mosquitoes to You? The Science of Bites
Some people really are mosquito magnets. Here is the science of what attracts mosquitoes — CO₂, body heat and skin chemistry — and how to get bitten less. Read more...
A small tent pitched in a green European meadow at golden hour, with forest and hills behind and camp chairs and a lantern nearby — calm summer camping scene
Camping Insect Protection Checklist: Mosquitoes, Ticks and Midges
A complete camping insect protection checklist — layer repellent, covering clothing and a sealed tent to stop mosquitoes, ticks and midges, plus a daily tick-check routine. Read more...
incognito® DEET-free insect repellent spray with botanical PMD (Citrepel®) standing on a wooden garden table at golden hour, surrounded by citronella leaves
What Is PMD (Citrepel®) and How Does It Repel Insects?
PMD (para-menthane-3,8-diol) is a plant-based active that repels mosquitoes and ticks by masking your scent. It is the only botanical repellent the CDC recommends. Read more...
A peaceful English cottage garden at golden hour with a wooden bench, linen throw and a cup of tea among wildflowers
Are Mosquito Bites Dangerous? When to Worry
Most mosquito bites are harmless. Learn when a bite is just a nuisance and the warning signs — infection, allergy, fever — that mean you should see a doctor. Read more...
A peaceful sunlit English country garden with a lawn, lavender borders, a wooden bench and a small pond — a naturally mosquito-managed outdoor space
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes in Your Garden Naturally
Get rid of garden mosquitoes naturally: remove standing water, add repellent plants, invite predators, and protect skin with a DEET-free repellent. A practical guide. Read more...
incognito® DEET-free insect repellent spray bottle on a wooden garden table with Mediterranean olive and lavender foliage in warm late-afternoon light
Dengue in Europe: The Rise of the Tiger Mosquito and How to Protect Yourself
Dengue is spreading in Europe as the Asian tiger mosquito establishes itself. Learn where the risk is and how to protect yourself from its daytime bites. Read more...
Sunlit British countryside at golden hour with a plain natural spray bottle on a wooden fence post among wildflowers, symbolising incognito's DEET-free, sustainable insect repellent.
What the King’s Award for Enterprise Means for incognito®
incognito® won the 2026 King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development — independent recognition that its DEET-free, plant-based repellents are made responsibly. Read more...
Sunlit green sugarcane field under a bright blue sky — the renewable crop behind incognito® bio-based bottles
Sugarcane Packaging: How Our Bottles Capture Carbon
incognito® bottles use sugarcane-based bioplastic: the crop absorbs CO2 from the air as it grows, so the packaging carbon is captured, not fossil-drilled. Read more...
How to Protect Your Dog from Ticks Naturally
How to Protect Your Dog from Ticks Naturally
Protect your dog from ticks naturally: daily tick checks, grooming, garden management and safe tick removal — plus how to keep yourself protected on walks. Read more...
Why We’re DEET-Free: What DEET Does to the Environment
Why We’re DEET-Free: What DEET Does to the Environment
DEET is effective but washes into rivers and wastewater and damages plastics. Here is why incognito® uses plant-based, biodegradable PMD instead. Read more...
The Best Insect Repellent for a Safari or Africa Trip
The Best Insect Repellent for a Safari or Africa Trip
Heading on safari? Use a proven repellent active (DEET, picaridin or plant-based PMD), take antimalarials, and cover up at dusk when Anopheles mosquitoes bite. Read more...
A folded striped towel, a straw sun hat and a bottle of sunscreen on a wooden jetty beside a calm summer lake surrounded by green trees
Sun Cream and Insect Repellent: How to Use Them Together
Apply sunscreen first, wait 15 minutes, then insect repellent on top. Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours — here’s how to layer sun cream and bug spray safely. Read more...
A calm Central European river floodplain at golden hour with lush green reeds, illustrating mosquito season near water
Mosquito Season in Central Europe: When and How to Protect Yourself
Mosquito season in Central Europe runs from late spring to early autumn, peaking June to August. Here is when bites are worst and how to protect yourself. Read more...
An adult relaxing on a wooden garden bench at golden hour, gently soothing a forearm in a lush green garden
What to Do After a Mosquito Bite: Stop the Itch Fast
What to do after a mosquito bite: clean it, cool it with ice for 10 minutes, don’t scratch, and soothe the itch. Most bites fade in 3–7 days — plus... Read more...
Two hikers walking along a sunlit forest trail in a green European mountain landscape, illustrating tick-borne encephalitis prevention for hikers and travellers
Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE) in Europe: A Prevention Guide for Hikers and Travellers
TBE is a serious viral brain infection spread by ticks across Europe. How hikers and travellers prevent it: vaccination, bite avoidance and daily tick checks. Read more...
A natural DEET-free insect-repellent spray bottle on a wooden table by a sunny lakeside forest trail with a travel daypack and sun hat — sustainable travel protection, incognito®, winner of the 2026 P.E.A. Awards Travel category.
incognito® Wins the Travel Award at the 2026 P.E.A. Awards
incognito® has won the Travel award at the 2026 P.E.A. Awards for its DEET-free, biodegradable approach to protecting travellers from mosquitoes and ticks. Read more...
A family with a young child walking along a sunny woodland trail in late spring, illustrating safe outdoor time and tick prevention for children.
Ticks and Children: How to Check, Prevent and Remove Safely
How to check children for ticks, remove one safely with tweezers, spot the warning signs, and prevent bites in layers — a calm, practical parent’s guide. Read more...
A tidy sunny back garden with a neatly mown striped lawn and a gravel barrier strip separating it from a leafy green hedge — a tick-unfriendly garden layout.
How to Protect Your Garden Against Ticks
Most garden tick bites happen at shady, overgrown edges. Mow short, clear leaf litter and add a dry barrier strip to cut tick numbers without spraying. Read more...
A young family with a small child walking through a sunny wildflower meadow at golden hour, enjoying DEET-free outdoor protection
The Best Natural Insect Repellent for Babies and Children: A Parent’s Guide
For babies under 2 months use a mosquito net, not repellent; from 6 months a DEET-free plant-based PMD spray is a gentle, effective choice — always follow the label. Read more...
Calm expectant mother in a light summer dress and sun hat walking through a sunlit wildflower meadow at golden hour — a natural, DEET-free outdoor scene
Insect Repellent in Pregnancy: What's Safe and What to Avoid
Is insect repellent safe in pregnancy? The CDC and NHS say EPA-registered repellents — including DEET and plant-based PMD — are fine when used as directed. Read more...
Terracotta pots of citronella and lemongrass plants on a wooden garden table in a sunny summer garden
Does Citronella Actually Repel Mosquitoes? What the Evidence Says
Yes, citronella repels mosquitoes — but only for about 30 minutes to 2 hours. Here is what the evidence says and the longer-lasting DEET-free alternative. Read more...
A hiker on a sunny European woodland trail applying DEET-free natural insect repellent to her forearm
Is DEET Safe? DEET vs Plant-Based Repellents Compared
Is DEET safe? The EPA and CDC say yes when used as directed — but plant-based PMD gives comparable protection against mosquitoes and ticks, without the greasy feel. Read more...
Fresh lemon eucalyptus leaves with water droplets on a sage-green surface — the plant-based active behind DEET-free insect repellent
Do Natural Insect Repellents Actually Work? The Science Behind DEET-Free Protection
Some natural repellents work and some really don't — the difference is the active ingredient. Here's the evidence on DEET-free protection, and how to spot a repellent that actually holds... Read more...
How to avoid mosquito bites when travelling
How to Avoid Mosquito Bites When Travelling (Common Mistakes to Avoid)
Travel writer Bea Meitiner shares the most common mistakes travellers make with mosquito protection — and how a layered approach beats relying on one product. Read more...
Fiona Brice — Postcards From
Travelling through Music: "Postcards From" — Ten Years On (Fiona Brice Guest Blog)
Composer Fiona Brice reflects on a decade since the release of her debut album "Postcards From" — a journey through music, memory and the places that shaped her. Read more...
World Malaria Day: How Travellers Can Avoid Mosquito Bites in High-Risk Destinations
World Malaria Day: How Travellers Can Avoid Mosquito Bites in High-Risk Destinations
World Malaria Day reminds us that simple bite-prevention habits can save lives. Here's how travellers can stay protected in high-risk destinations. Read more...
Tick on human skin — Lyme disease prevention
Lyme Disease: Key Facts and How to Avoid Tick Bites
Lyme disease is one of Europe's most common tick-borne illnesses. Learn the key facts, how to spot the symptoms, and how to protect yourself from tick bites. Read more...