I've often wondered why Elder, native here for who knows how many millennia, is so rubbish for insects. For instance, there's just ONE micro moth that uses it as a foodplant! And it's probably been here longer than oaks. Didn't know about the crushed leaves acting as a deterrent, but that certainly helps explain the lack of species utilising the stuff.JohnR wrote:A handy insect repellent when you have forgotten the real thing, is crushed elderberry leaves rubbed on exposed parts. It certainly works for midges at dusk.
Gibster.
PS - spent a night in a building in rural Nicaragua coupla years ago. No lights (no electricity at all actually), earthen floors, an almost dead torch...we were in our fold-out bed when something ran across Sam's face. Then my arm. Then another on my leg...in the dying beam of the torch we saw various pupa-carrying ants, roaches and even a scorpion scurrying across the floor/bed. Playing our torch onto the nearside wall we found out why - ARMY ANTS fanning out at speed and heading our way. RUN!!! I don't think crushed elder leaves or DEET would have saved us... although Skin-so-Soft might have.