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Old 09-10-2020, 11:21 AM   #1
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Mosquitoes

Iowa Dave, you mentioned Thermacell mosquito repellers in another thread. Rather than go off topic I am starting a new thread. Dave, would you expand on your results with the Thermacell?
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Old 09-10-2020, 01:03 PM   #2
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Thermacells

I have used Deet products for years about 12 years ago I had some 100 % Deet. It was hot, I was fishing, mosquitoes were very heavy. All morning whenever I sweated my coverage away I reapplied. On the way home I got several neck jerks I could not control. Too much deet. So no more 100% deet for me. In August of 2010 my son and I went to Ontario bear hunting. The outfitter said the thermacell “odor” did not bother them. So I bought the two Rigs and some refills at Walmart.
We hunted from tree stands. Once in the tree we fired up the units, strapped it horizontal to the arm of the stand. Calm air. The invisible cloud was there and mosquitoes stayed about 18 to 24 inches outside of the cloud. You’d see and hear them come in them. they would hover outside of the cloud. A young bear came in, started to climb my tree. Apparently could not
Smell the cloud (invisible) or did not care.

We’ve used these units since. Lots of time about this time of year Walmart and other sports places have the units and refills on sale. The holster hangs on your belt or the strap and clip will allow you to hook it up on a post or chair arm. On your belt it is vertical. The repellant wafer in the front is heated by the fuel cartridge. It goes from blue to white when used up. You can see the level of fuel in the back of the unit even with the holster on. The holster holds several wafers and one spare fuel unit. The Wafers last four hours each when burned vertical and somewhat longer when horizontal. The fuel goes 12 hours. There’s an easy on off switch. You flip it to “on”
and snap the little ignitor. A little red light glows and you’re good to go. I’m usually wearing mine at rally campfires. For lying errr conversation sessions I like a mosquito coil on the picnic table. They do make a thermacell table model too. I’ll probably get one when my hoard of coils runs out. I’ve had good luck with them.

Can’t tell you what everything costs now but it’s easy to look up. I don’t like to get all bit up and I worked with public health personnel on West Nile, 15 or so years ago. I’m so old I even go back far enough that I sprayed DDT for mosquitoes in parks and on golf courses 50 years ago.

Hope my dialog and pictures answer your questions
Iowa Dave
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Old 09-10-2020, 02:53 PM   #3
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Just a tip. One off the curling irons uses the exact same fuel cartridge as the Thermocell, but they are a lot less expensive than the Thermocell branded ones. So check the women’s hair care products when you need the fuel.
And I can attest once the Thermocell is hot and vaporizing the repellant, as Dave says, it is extremely effective at repelling mosquitos.
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Old 09-10-2020, 04:25 PM   #4
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We've used this Thermacell model below for the past 5+ years. It's different than ordinary repellent in that mosquitoes still come around, but they just don't land. For the few times, we thought it wasn't working since we could still hear the buzzing. Upon turning the unit off, however, we quickly found out how effective it was. We give this Thermacell unit a thumbs up

We've also found that putting it on the ground, rather than on a table, protects ankles and feet. We don't use the lantern portion of this unit very often. There is a newer unit now without the lantern.

Here's the unit we have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's the replacemen without the latern:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075SBMTQL/ref=dp_prsubs_3

And here with the lantern:

https://www.amazon.com/Thermacell-Ca...-garden&sr=1-5
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Old 09-10-2020, 05:13 PM   #5
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Another vote for the Thermacell. While it won't cover the entire campsite, it works great for a gathering around the fire (well maybe not with social distancing) or the picnic table.
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Old 09-10-2020, 06:27 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iowa Dave View Post

Hope my dialog and pictures answer your questions
Iowa Dave
Yes, most certainly did and the pictures were a great bonus to your answer. Thanks Dave

Quote:
Originally Posted by C&G in FL View Post
Just a tip. One off the curling irons uses the exact same fuel cartridge as the Thermocell, but they are a lot less expensive than the Thermocell branded ones. So check the women’s hair care products when you need the fuel.
And I can attest once the Thermocell is hot and vaporizing the repellant, as Dave says, it is extremely effective at repelling mosquitos.
Thanks Carl, for the tip and the positive comment.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ksitte View Post
We've used this Thermacell model below for the past 5+ years. We give this Thermacell unit a thumbs up

We've also found that putting it on the ground, rather than on a table, protects ankles and feet. We don't use the lantern portion of this unit very often. There is a newer unit now without the lantern. Thanks Klaus / Karen for the positive comment and your the tips, I don't like those ankle bites!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye View Post
Another vote for the Thermacell. While it won't cover the entire campsite, it works great for a gathering around the fire (well maybe not with social distancing) or the picnic table.
Great Vermilye, thanks for your collaboration of these positive comments.

Thermacell certainly sounds like a good investment, anyone have opposing views?
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Old 09-11-2020, 07:39 AM   #7
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They're the real deal! We've been using them for the past decade or longer. We have five Thermacells and now have two Thermacell Backpacker Mosquito Repellers that we use all the time to save on gas cartridges. We only get our smaller/personal versions out when others are present, or hiking in the woods.

We now live in the only area of Minnesota without mosquitoes (karst region), but previously lived on a central Minnesota lake in mosquito heaven. I'm guessing we're probably responsible for 20 or more sales to others who've been around our Thermacells.

The cheapest pads are about $1.50 each, lasting about 3 hours. They claim 4 hours, but that last hour is marginal.

Many are now refilling their pads with permethrin, a chemical similar to allethrin that Thermacell uses, and are reporting similar results. We haven't tried it yet, but will sometime soon.

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 09-11-2020, 08:21 AM   #8
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Repellant?

Hi: All... This year it seems a "12 Gauge" might be effective too!!! Alf
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Old 09-16-2020, 11:49 PM   #9
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Bear hunters LOVE them. I ran a lodge in northern Ontario and one night when dealing with a successful hunt I had a work light suspended over the table, a Thermacell on the table too. where they worked on the bear. I returned to the lodge to get something and when I came back, I could see in the bright work light and as if there was a huge glass bell jar over the table. There were literally thousands of mozzies in the air, but a perfectly symmetrical clear spot of considerable size over the work area. Not a single mosquito within the protected area that was so clearly definable. It was quite a sight to see. It is the ONLY product or item I have ever purchased that works BETTER than advertised. Their only weak spot is wind, but in wind you don't have a mozzie problem. Used them on a a Erie Canal boat trip too. Buy them without hesitation. THEY WORK
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Old 09-17-2020, 10:14 AM   #10
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Bear hunters LOVE them. I ran a lodge in northern Ontario and one night when dealing with a successful hunt I had a work light suspended over the table, a Thermacell on the table too. where they worked on the bear. I returned to the lodge to get something and when I came back, I could see in the bright work light and as if there was a huge glass bell jar over the table. There were literally thousands of mozzies in the air, but a perfectly symmetrical clear spot of considerable size over the work area. Not a single mosquito within the protected area that was so clearly definable. It was quite a sight to see. It is the ONLY product or item I have ever purchased that works BETTER than advertised. Their only weak spot is wind, but in wind you don't have a mozzie problem. Used them on a a Erie Canal boat trip too. Buy them without hesitation. THEY WORK
Thanks, great testimonial. The consensus seems to be in.
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Old 09-17-2020, 11:00 AM   #11
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Keep in mind that animals are usually smarter than humans...there's a reason they don't like it - it's toxic, especially to aquatic life. Inhalation is not advised.



My father-in-law worked at a Shell plant where they made the old "No Pest Strips" in the 60's - remember them? He was very critical of how the toxicity of chemicals were ignored when including them in consumer products, especially insecticides and weed killers. He died an early death from being around those chemicals (albeit in large quantities).


I guess it's easy for me to be critical of insecticides since I live in a relatively 'minimal mosquito' area, but I too used 100% DEET as a youth and suffered adverse effects. I haven't used insecticides at all in decades. I just keep long sleeves and socks on, and have a headnet for when it gets 'bad'.



If I lived in Minnesota or other mosquito-heavy environs, I'd probably feel a bit differently about the subject! But I want to point out that just because an insecticide is made from "chrysanthemums" doesn't mean it isn't toxic.


I'll step down from my soapbox now...
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Old 09-17-2020, 11:11 AM   #12
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Try living in Northern Ontario where the bugs can be so loud as to sound like an electric lawn mower running constantly.
Obviously over exposure to anything is bad. from sports-insights.co.uk
"Importantly, Thermacell Repellents have been evaluated for efficacy and safety by the US Environmental Protection Agency as well as similar national institutions across Europe, Australia, Asia and in the UK. Today, Thermacell has registrations in over 30 countries." I have NO affiliation or interests in this company, just have used and will continue to use a really good product. I personally believe it is way less harmful to me than Deet of any concentration. I try to avoid covering my skin with liquids that say "keep away from plastics"
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Old 09-17-2020, 02:43 PM   #13
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Keep in mind that animals are usually smarter than humans...there's a reason they don't like it - it's toxic, especially to aquatic life. Inhalation is not advised.
Thanks for this point of view Tony, sometimes we see information and don't look at all aspects. I did a little more research due to your post - I plan to continue with my purchase of the Thermacell as DEET does work for me, but I am not a fan of it.
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Old 09-17-2020, 02:43 PM   #14
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This has been interesting. We have the Thermacell. Did not think it was that effective as the mosquitoes did not seem terribly bothered or discouraged by it. But, probably we were misusing it or not noticing what ksitte mentions.

We are a bit hesitant to use chemical products, for the reasons mentioned by felix2. Once we traveled and camped (in a tent) in Alaska in mid-to-late June. The mosquitoes there are of the major league variety. It wasn't perfect but we used a 2-dollar mosquito net from Wal-Mart around our faces and neck - and it was a lifesaver. That seemed to work except when we are were eating. So, during that trip, it was hard to remain vegetarian as we ate a few with every bite
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Old 09-17-2020, 03:29 PM   #15
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I remember those Vapona strips. We used them for a while maybe for a week once a year for three or four years. I don’t think they hurt me but as I related, I have done some bad stuff to myself and it may well get me in the end.
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Old 09-17-2020, 04:43 PM   #16
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I have always believed if you have enough alcohol in your system that these pests will go elsewhere.........seems to work.
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Old 09-17-2020, 05:18 PM   #17
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Back in the Day

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I have always believed if you have enough alcohol in your system that these pests will go elsewhere.........seems to work.
Back in the day about 50 years ago we would camp out and not spray. We would set around the picnic table and watch the mosquitoes suck the blood out of your arm. We drank a lot in those days. The Mosquito would attempt to fly off and could barely get liftoff from the blood cargo which contained about twice the legal alcohol limit so they could not fly fast or straight. Then we would attempt to grab them as they flew away. That was between rounds of fly quarters where several players would each put a stinky quarter in a cup and draw one out. You did not usually get your original quarter. Then you would put the quarter on the table in front of you and the first person to have a fly land on their quarter got all the quarters. Then a round of arm wrestling and then another round of beer. The. Time for a beer and bait run to the nearest gas station Didn’t take much to entertain Iowa Boys.
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Old 09-17-2020, 06:04 PM   #18
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Dave,
Thanks for the memories, your post brings back a lot of them......
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Old 09-22-2020, 10:25 PM   #19
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We use the USB powered thermacell and are really happy with it.
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