This Mosquito Solution Has a Serious Cult Following

I am always the first one to say we should eat outside. And I am also aways the first one to say we should move inside… the second the bugs start biting me. Of course, they start pretty soon after we sit down. What can I say? I’m just too sweet! That, and we live in the mountains. If you can relate, chances are you own many different types of bug sprays, various citronella candles, and way too many summer-weight sweatshirts. Well, what if I told you that this summer you’d need none of those things?

It’s true—if you stock up on these Madison James Flyaway Sticks.

As a James Madison grad, the first time I heard this name, I was intrigued. Was the brand created by a former classmate? It was not (the founder is named Madison James and, as far as I can tell, she has no relation to our fourth president). Moving on: The brand is based in New York City and Paris, Kentucky, and bills itself as “agricultural chic.”

And back to the sticks: The Flyaway Sticks are wood wands (imagine extra-long incense sticks) that are hand-dipped in lime, cedar, and other essential oils. They smell perfectly woodsy and, when lit, add a nice little ambience to your party. Each stick burns for four hours and repels mosquitos, hornets, and other pesky insects. Just set up a few around your patio or picnic table and you’re basically setting up a do-not-disturb sign.

But do the sticks work?

You can bet your Calamine lotion they do! While there aren’t many reviews on the Terrain site, every single one of them comes with a five-star rating. “I was skeptical… but bought them anyway. And they DO work,” says one reviewer. “I am a mosquito magnet so it’s nice to be able to actually sit outside and not be constantly swatting mosquitoes away. And they burn for awhile which is nice.” Personally, as a very satisfied customer, I would have written that exact same review! One more convincing fact: These things actually keep selling out. They can be very hard to get your hands on because they have a real cult following. So, if they’re still in stock by the time you read this post, you might want to stock up. Or else it’s time to dig up those sprays, candles, and sweatshirts again.

Have you tried these? Did you love them as I much as I did?

This post originally ran on Kitchn. See it there: This Mosquito Solution Has a Serious Cult Following