Disclosed is a method of repelling noxious insects comprising the step of exposing said noxious insects to a composition containing from 0.1 to 90 wt. %, based on the total weight of the composition, of at least one of 2-(1-hydroxyalkyl)cycloalkanols represented by the following formulae (9) and (10):
wherein R4 is a straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon radical having 1-8 carbon atoms and R5 and R6 are hydrogens or lower alkyl groups having at most 3 carbon atoms and the sum of the carbon atoms of R5 and R6 is 0-3.