The active ingredient in Ranger Ready Repellent’s body-worn repellent is Picaridin 20%. Picaridin is safer and at least as effective as DEET in repelling ticks and insects.  Picaridin, developed by Bayer Pharmaceuticals in the 1980s, has been widely used for decades across Europe but has only been available in the U.S. since 2005. Picaridin repels mosquitos, ticks, biting flies, chiggers and other insects. Picaridin was made to resemble the natural compound piperine, which is found in the group of plants that are used to produce black pepper.