Every bottle of Bite carries a Health Canada Pest Control Products Act registration number on its label, the same regulatory category assigned to DEET based repellents. The active ingredient behind that registration is oil of lemon eucalyptus at a 30 percent concentration, backed by a bibliography of seven peer reviewed studies the company publishes on its own site.
What makes Bite different
Oil of lemon eucalyptus, also known as PMD or p-Menthane-3,8-diol, is Bite’s sole active ingredient. The company obtains it by refining eucalyptus oil to concentrate its insect repelling compounds, then formulates it at 30 percent alongside water and ethanol, the only other ingredients in the spray. Bite positions the formula against DEET directly: its FAQ states the repellent contains no DEET or other synthetic chemicals commonly found in traditional sprays.
The mechanism is scent disruption rather than a chemical barrier. Oil of lemon eucalyptus masks the body odors that draw mosquitoes and ticks, so insects have a harder time locating exposed skin. Bite field tested the formula to provide up to six hours of protection against mosquitoes and five hours against ticks. It is water resistant but not waterproof, so the company recommends reapplying after swimming or heavy sweating.
The formula is registered with Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency under PCP Act registration number 35004, a review built on efficacy and safety data submitted by the company. It is approved for the whole family, including infants older than six months and pregnant women, and the company recommends a patch test first for anyone with reactive skin.
The impact built into every bottle
Bite has not published a donation program or a percentage of sales pledge tied to the repellent, so its case for impact rests on what goes into the bottle rather than what comes out of it. The active ingredient is plant derived, sourced from eucalyptus and processed rather than synthesized from petrochemicals, and the finished formula is biodegradable according to the product listing.
The company states it does not test on animals and describes the product as cruelty free. Its FAQ page says the brand strives to use sustainable packaging whenever possible, though it has not published specifics on materials or recycled content, so that claim is worth treating as a stated intention rather than a certification. The ingredient list itself is short: an active ingredient at a known concentration, plus water and ethanol as diluents, with no added synthetic fragrance.
The clearest third party check on the product is regulatory rather than promotional. Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency reviewed the formulation’s efficacy and safety data before granting registration number 35004, the same process every legal repellent sold in Canada has to clear.
The company behind it
Bite is a Toronto, Ontario company founded by Jaime Hackett and Erin Prohaska, who are sisters-in-law and outdoor enthusiasts. The company has not published a founding year. Its own site describes both women searching for a repellent that did not feel greasy, smell strong, or irritate their skin, and building Bite when they could not find one.
The brand describes itself as proudly Canadian and women-owned. In a March 2026 interview with VITA Daily, Prohaska described the founding question directly: what if protection could feel more like skincare, something applied because you wanted to rather than because you had to. That reframing now extends to a companion mineral sunscreen, Bite Base, designed to layer under the repellent.
Where it fits in corporate gifting
Bite suits any outdoor season and any climate where mosquitoes or ticks are a factor: summer client events, golf days, cottage weekends, and team offsites held on trails, docks, or patios. A travel-sized bottle works as a practical add-on in a welcome kit for a hospitality partner, and the full 120 ml size fits a standalone thank-you gift for clients or staff who spend time outdoors.
As of August 2026, Bite ships within Canada only, which makes it a strong fit for Canadian-based gifting programs and a point to flag for buyers planning cross-border distribution. The brand currently sells direct through its own site and through a small number of Canadian retail and hospitality wholesale partners.
Making it yours
Bite has not published a corporate customization program, a private label option, or set minimum order quantities for bulk buyers. Its wholesale page describes partnerships with select retailers and hospitality groups across Canada, arranged through a direct inquiry form rather than a published price sheet.
For a branded run, a co-branded insert, or a bulk order sized for an event or an onboarding program, the most reliable path is asking directly. A Butterfly specialist can confirm what is possible for a given order size and timeline before you commit to a quantity.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bite a Canadian company?
Yes. Bite was founded in Toronto, Ontario by Jaime Hackett and Erin Prohaska, and its repellent is registered with Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency under PCP Act number 35004. As of August 2026, the product ships within Canada only.
Does Bite contain DEET?
No. The active ingredient is oil of lemon eucalyptus at a 30 percent concentration, and the company states the formula is free of DEET and other synthetic chemicals commonly used in traditional repellents.
Is Bite safe for children?
Bite is approved for the whole family, including infants older than six months and pregnant women, when used as directed. The company recommends a patch test first for anyone with sensitive or reactive skin.
How long does one application last?
Bite was field tested to provide up to six hours of protection against mosquitoes and up to five hours against ticks. The company recommends reapplying after swimming or heavy sweating, since the formula is water resistant rather than waterproof.
Bite’s case rests on a registered active ingredient, a short formula, and two founders who wanted a repellent they would actually use. For buyers weighing an outdoor-event gifting program, that mix of transparency and function is the pitch.
Ready when you are
Together, we create the effect.
Want Bite Body in your next gifting project? Tell a Butterfly specialist what you are planning and we will bring the makers, the ideas, and the impact report.