Yes, certain houseplants repel insects. Here are 6 to try this summer

Summer is bug season, no matter where you live. Ants, mosquitoes, beetles, you name it – as the weather warms up, bugs come out to play, eat, and bite. To help combat insect takeovers, there are a few common houseplants that act as natural repellents, keeping spiders and other insects at bay.

You may not have thought about using houseplants to rid your home of bugs, but some plants act as a completely natural way to keep insects out of your kitchen and home.

So what are the best plants to keep bugs away? Below are six houseplants that are known to naturally repel bugs.

Read more: This houseplant cleans the air 30 times better than a regular plant

For more information, see the best plants to cool the air in your home, discover how to keep plants alive longer and check out our list of the best places to buy plants online.

Spices

Powerful spices Herbs like basil, mint, sage, and rosemary are great for garnishing spaghetti or making mojitos, but their scent repels insects like house flies and fruit flies. Consider lining a sunny kitchen window with a few of your favorite food and drink garnishes. Not only will the bugs stay away, but you’ll enjoy the benefits of fresh herbs all year long, without the hefty price tags found in most grocery stores.

Pro tip: Lemongrass contains citronella oil, which is often used in candles and sprays to repel mosquitoes.

Marigold

The yellow-orange flower is so much more than a pretty accent in a large pot or House Garden — it’s a mosquito and midge repellent that gives off a distinct and powerful scent that repels bugs. Perhaps best of all, marigolds are an easy plant to grow cultivate in your home because they require little maintenance and grow quickly.

Lavender

Lavender has calming properties that help us fall asleep at night, but it has the opposite effect on insects such as moths and beetles. Cut a few purple stems and use them in an elegant bouquet to repel unwanted visitors. You can plant living lavender plants on FastGrowingTrees.com and other sites.

Catnip

Your feline friend may experience an immediate sense of euphoria when exposed to catnip, but cockroaches and mosquitoes have a very different reaction. According to scientists, the plant contains an active compound that activates the chemical receptor for insects that cause pain and itching. Like humans, insects retreat when they experience even the slightest discomfort and do not return to the source of the suffering. Amazon sells a four pack catnip plants for $23.

Chrysanthemums

This popular flower is an insect’s worst enemy. In fact, a chrysanthemum hitlist is extensive and includes cockroaches, ants, silverfish, lice, bedbugs and mites. Keep these away from your pets though, as they can be quite toxic if ingested.

Carnivorous plants

Lean on the obvious choice and go for the endlessly entertaining carnivorous plant. These are usually hungry wonders, like the Venus flytraplure unsuspecting prey with a scent reminiscent of delicious fruits and flowers. Once the hair-like lobes, known as trichomes, are activated, the leaves snap shut, only to reopen 10 days after the insect has been fully digested. Of course, you’ll need a whole bunch of carnivorous plants to deal with swarms, but they’re great additions to catch a fly or two every now and then.

Regardless of preference, these plants, flowers and herbs are beautiful (and natural!) additions to a kitchen pest control plan. They’re also delicious and/or beautiful. If you’re still not convinced, consider other all-natural alternatives like coffee grounds, essential oils, banana peels, white vinegar and onions. They have also been shown to repel pests when left on the counter.