Control or repellency of biting arthropods, particularly biting insects, is accomplished by bringing the biting arthropods into contact with combinations of compounds identical or related to those found on human/animal skin or in plants acting synergistically with one another, or in combination with conventional repellents like DEET®, para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), sec-butyl-2-(2-hydroxyethyl) piperidine carboxylate (&ldquoPicaridin&rdquo), or other nitrogen containing repellents selected from amines, amides and nitrogen containing heterocyclic compounds, or any synergistic combination of DEET®, PMD, Picaridin, or other nitrogen containing repellents selected from amines, amides and nitrogen containing heterocyclic compounds.