It's August, and that means that if you're in one of the unfortunately affected areas, you're likely being swarmed by mosquitos every time you leave the house. Many of the bug repellents you can buy at the store contain the infamous chemical DEET, and for good cause — it works. That being said, the chemical has side effects for both humans and the environment, so a natural option that's as effective would definitely be preferable.

That's where sweetgrass comes in. According to Smithsonian, "In one test, distilled sweetgrass oil even matched the repellent potency of DEET." While it's only one test, it's certainly encouraging. It's not news that two of the compounds found in sweetgrass (phytol and coumarin) have mosquito repellent properties — Native Americans have used the grass in this way for years — but nobody knew that they were so effective.

The clip below is from the 250th American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition in Boston, where the team reported the new developments. Check it out, and let us know what you think. When you're done watching, share this with your friends on Facebook!