The repellency to female Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) of 21 essential oils alone or in combination with Calophyllum inophyllum nut oil (tamanu oil) was examined using a skin bioassay. Results were compared with those following treatment with the commonly used repellent DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide). As judged by the protection time (PT) to first bite at 0.5 mg cm-2, patchouli (3.67 h) was the most effective essential oil, followed by clove bud, lovage root, clove leaf and thyme white essential oils (3.50-2.12 h). Thyme red, oregano and geranium essential oils exhibited moderate protection time (PT, 1.24-1.11 h). At 0.25 mg cm-2, effective protection time of clove bud, clove leaf and lovage root essential oils was about 1 h. The protection times of DEET were 4.47 and 2.17h at 0.5 and 0.25 mg cm-2 respectively. The remarkable increase in the protection time were produced by binary mixtures of five essential oils (clove bud, clove leaf, thyme white, patchouli and savory) and tamanu oil (0.25:2.0 mg cm-2) compared with those of either the constituted essential oil, tamanu oil or DEET alone, indicating the involvement in synergy. These essential oils, tamanu oil and binary mixtures did not cause any adverse effects on the human volunteers at 0.5 mg cm-2 except savory oil. Thus binary mixtures of essential oils and tamanu oil described merit further study as potential insect repellents for protection from humans and domestic animals from biting and nuisance caused by S. calcitrans.