Our findings demonstrate that larval salamanders suffer severe mortality and developmental deformities owing to environmentally relevant exposures to a commercially available repellent containing the active ingredient picaridin. Our experiments also demonstrate that larval salamanders are an important predator of larval mosquitos, which appear to be unaffected by exposure to repellents containing DEET or picaridin. Ecosystems contaminated with picaridin repellent may be at risk of further declines in salamander populations.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6227861/

Peppermint doesn't remove one of mosquitoes biggest predators from the food chain.

Using peppermint oil instead of picaradin means less mosquitoes so even when you forget your designer chemical, you will be but less.

For purely selfish reasons you should use peppermint, I hope that convinces you since nothing else has.

Picaridin or deet are methods to cover that odor

Buddy, I already know you haven't fucked with peppermint oil...

It repels virtually every pest because of how strong that mint smell is, that's the entire reason the mint smell evolved. Humans are the weird ones for liking it, and the reason we're the exception is our sense of smell is terrible.

For almost every other animal/insect it's like pepperspray, it's so strong it actually hurts insects and rodents.

I'm not saying those chemicals don't work, I'm saying given the choice between some crazy chemical and crushed up benign plant leaves...

Just use the leaves bro.

Not only is it cheaper, it won't give you cancer or fuck up future children you may have.

It's a no brainer risk assessment call