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 (1), (5) and (6): ##STR1## wherein n is an integer of 3-10, R.sup.1 is hydrogen or a straight-chain saturated hydrocarbon radical having 1-6 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 is hydrogen or a methyl group; R.sub.m represents m of the same or different, straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon radicals R which, as a substituent group, can be bonded to carbocyclic atoms; m is an integer of 0-8, provided that m is at least one when either one of R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 is an alkyl group and m is at least 2 when both R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are alkyl groups; the sum of the carbon atoms of R.sub.m does not exceed 8, wherein when n is 4, R is optionally an isopropylidene group which intramolecularly bridges between the third and sixth carbocyclic atoms.