The trouble with DEET products is, once you put it on, every thing you eat tastes like DEET.
In my backpacking days, I always had a set of light weight long sleeved/legged clothes that I treated with Permethrin before the trip. When I was using a tarp and bug net, I applied it to the net as well.
First time I tried it was on a 93 mile trip around Mt.Rainier.
When we set up the tarp with the treated bug net under it, all the bugs that were torturing us on the trail just went away.
http://www.rei.com/product/751264
We do have some of those Citronella candles, but I think they are mostly for atmosphere, & maybe to annoy the biters.