Citronella candles

[Baz]

I was just browsing the Home Depot site for citronella candles.

I typically use the big ones in a bucket that can burn for hours on end.

I usually keep one lit just outside my back patio door so when I go in and out after sundown it keeps any mosquitoes from getting inside. Works pretty good.

Anyway something interesting I noticed. Both "Cutter" and "Off" offer a large bucket type tabletop candle, but the "Off" brand states it is not intended to repel mosquitoes, while the "Cutter" brand does.

Looks like 3% citronella oil in the "Cutter" but no specifics on the "Off" label.

You would think a product with the name "Off" would include mosquito repellent effectiveness. Thought it was odd.

Wonder if it has anything to do with liability toward any disease spread by mosquitoes.

Cutter

Off

[Baz]

BTW for you shoppers.....I picked up some from Walmart that were larger and for less money and they do say "Repels mosquitoes" on the label. 3% citronella oil.

Single wick vs. triple wicks in the above mentioned products - but also 30 oz. vs. 20 oz. and 23 oz. and for only $5.88 vs. $7.48 and $8.97 so my recommendation is to get them at Walmart.

Mainstays Outdoor Citronella Bucket Candle, 30oz, Multiple Colors

[steve185]

Thermocell works very good too.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by steve185

Thermocell works very good too.

I have one of those.....for now just going with the candles.....

[cabmandone]

I don't know what my wife buys but it works for those damn deer flies and mosquitos. Do they still make those mosquito deletos? I had a fried that swore by those things. They mount to a propane tank.

[steve185]

The candles work nice for around the house. But , after 50 years of hunting and fishing in Canada I haven't found anything near as good as the thermocell.
On another note, really missing my annual trip to Pawley's Island with my American cousins.

[Baz]

These work pretty good as well. Not Citronella - Pyrethrin - so more of an insecticide/poison.

[cabmandone]

I'm old school. I like those bug zappers. Always entertaining when a moth gets into one.

[craigster59]

We don’t get the bugs much here in SoCal. Except when camping or backpacking you get the skeeters but usually puff on a Swisher Sweet or Backwoods and make sure I have good camp smoke on my person and my hat.

I’ve thought about smoking a pipe when fishing, people say that does the trick.

[cstreit]

Second vote for thermacell. Keep mosquitos off us in deep Wisconsin woods for 4 days,

[Starless]

Originally Posted by cabmando

I'm old school. I like those bug zappers. Always entertaining when a moth gets into one.

I was having a problem with something eating my basil, pepper, and sunflower leaves. The damage looked like beetles but never saw any on the leaves. The other night my wife turned on some lights we have on our mimosa tree. All of a sudden, beetles all over the lights. So the beetles were coming out at night to attack the plants. I remembered i had one of those bug zappers in the garage. Hadn't used it in years. Took it out, hung it up and turned it on at dusk and left it on all night. Next morning, loads of dead beetles. Been doing this for about 2 weeks and my plants are coming back and looking great.

[Geary]

Baz .. I'd have thought you'd have Citronella plants around your home. The aroma they give off when you water them is amazing :^ )

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/scented-geranium/mosquito-citronella-geranium-plant.htm

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Geary

Baz .. I'd have thought you'd have Citronella plants around your home. The aroma they give off when you water them is amazing :^ )

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/scented-geranium/mosquito-citronella-geranium-plant.htm

Never used them - will look into it.

This webpage states they don't help:

https://www.gardenmyths.com/mosquito-plant-pelargonium-citrosum/

The results were quite clear. The mosquito plant does not work.

Pelargonium Citrosum is quite fragrant, but it did not work at keeping mosquitoes away.

[steve185]

Anyone know how to repel horse flies, there is a trap called the Manitoba trap. But are there plants that repel them?

[Baz]

I ended up getting a couple of the Cutter brand tabletops, two packages of the coils, and a huge bottle of the torch fuel.

The new Cutter candle is a little smaller than the old one I had, but is still rated at 40 hours. I have one lit now to compare how it burns with the El cheapo from Walmart.





The skeeters really haven't been real bad lately but we just had a 3-4 hour soaking late today so I know they will be coming soon.

[RSBob]

Had always heard that citronella was more scam than effective. Several articles like this one on the web confirm this. https://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-07-2009/myth_buster_are_citronella_candles_an_effective_mo squito_repellent_.html

[Baz]

Quick followup after using the Cutter candle for the past two nights.

It has out performed the El Cheapo Walmart - mostly in the way it has burned without losing as much candle as well as not developing large pocket areas around each wick.

You can see in the photo below - after two nights the candle is still relatively flat with a lot still left.





What caught my eye was a bunch of negative reviews on the Walmart site about their El Cheapo product so I elected to get these Cutters and do my own comparison. I'm glad I did.

Can't help but think where the El Cheapo went wrong was the outward angle of the bucket vs. inverted sides of the Cutter.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Baz

These work pretty good as well. Not Citronella - Pyrethrin - so more of an insecticide/poison.

We used to burn these in our car when we went to the drive-in movies.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by steve185

Thermocell works very good too.

The packets last 45 minutes and are expensive at that rate. It does work but so do other methods. I favor spraying my clothes in the lower regions and misting my arms and hands with a number of things I've tried from DEET to natural oils.

In CA we've been invaded by a new breed that people call 'ankle biters'. They land, bite and are gone in 3 seconds.

[Danimal16]

Originally Posted by Baz

These work pretty good as well. Not Citronella - Pyrethrin - so more of an insecticide/poison.

These are the best I have used out here in California. Keeps the no-see-ems away.