Mosquito Coils
A mosquito coil is a spiral shaped insect repellent, which is lit at the outer end and burns slowly towards its centre. As the coil smoulders, it releases insect repellent/insecticide smoke that effectively repels mosquitoes and other flying insects such as midges and gnats.
Pack of 10 mosquito coils with stand. Effectively repels mosquitoes and other annoying flying insects. Each coil lasts for up to 8 hours. Suitable for use outdoors.
A mosquito repellent coil provides several hours of protection against biting insects, burning continuously for around 6 to 8 hours. A mosquito coil is about 10cm in diameter and can be burned safely on a specially designed stand.
Mosquito coils are generally very cheap to buy – if you buy a pack of coils and they are not to your liking, then you haven’t lost much.
Mosquito Coil Repellents
Insect repellent coils are available from brands such as Lifesystems, Gelert, Coghlans and Highlander, who often supply their coils in multiple packs with a metal coil stand included.
Mosquito coils are designed for use outdoors only. Burn them when camping, fishing, dining outside during picnics and barbeques, or simply while relaxing at home in your garden or on the balcony. A good tip is to place a mosquito coil repellent down on the ground by people's ankles and feet, an area mosquitoes seem fond of visiting.
Mosquito coil repellents are lightweight, compact and easy to use – burning a coil is as simple as lighting a candle. Take smoke coils with you if you are travelling to warmer climates where there is a chance of being bitten by mosquitoes. Stop mosquitoes entering your accommodation by burning insect repellent coils outside doors and windows to your accommodation.
If you don’t want to burn an entire smoke coil or you accidentally break a coil, you can burn broken pieces of coil.
Mosquito Coil Holders
Mosquito coils can be very effective at keeping the bugs away, but they do produce ash when they burn, which may become messy. A decorative mosquito coil holder will keep things clean and tidy.
A mosquito coil holder firmly encloses a smouldering insect repellent coil inside it, ensuring the coil is safe for use around children. The holder contains holes through which the insect repellent smoke can escape and collects the ash produced by the coil. Your mosquito coil holder can be laid flat on the floor or table or conveniently hung up out of the way.
Gelert’s Mozi Coil Holder is made from metal and has decorative heart-shaped holes on the top to allow the insect repellent vapour to escape. The holder has an attached loop allowing it to easily be hung from a door handle or hook.
Are Mosquito Coils Safe?
A mosquito coil is made from combustible material covered with pesticide. The active ingredients in mosquito coil repellents are usually pyrethrins such as allethrins, which have low toxicity to humans and are not known to cause cancer. Mosquito coils containing small amounts of allethrins are registered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
As noted by Boots WebMD, concerns have been raised about the effects of breathing in insecticide smoke released from mosquito smoke coils, and there is the possibility of irritation to eyes and nose.
In an experiment published in Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers examined emissions from Chinese and Malaysian mosquito smoke coils. Results suggest that when burned indoors, mosquito coils may produce pollutants harmful to health.
Put your safety first and remember the following points when using mosquito coil repellents to repel mosquitoes:
- Burn mosquito coils outside only and never use them indoors in enclosed spaces
- Do not directly inhale smoke emitted from coil repellents
- Do not buy insect repellent coils abroad; they may contain pesticides or other substances not approved for use in your home country
- Buy mosquito coils from a reputable source before you travel
Mosquito coils may help reduce the number of mosquitoes around you, but they are not proven to be effective against malaria. If you are staying in an area where there is a risk of malaria infection, protect yourself by using a good insect repellent and sleeping under an insecticide-treated mosquito net.
Citronella Coils
If you are looking for a more natural product to keep mosquitoes at bay, citronella coils are an alternative to pyrethrin-containing coils. As the name suggests, citronella coils emit citronella, a plant-based, non-toxic, natural insect repellent.
Sources:
Boots WebMD. “Mosquito Coils and Vaporising Mats” (Accessed 18th January 2012).
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Fact Sheet: Characteristics and Regulatory Status of Spatial Insect Repellents” (Accessed 18th January 2012).
Liu W, Zhang J, Hashim JH, Jalaludin J, Hashim Z, et al. 2003 Mosquito Coil Emissions and Health Implications. Environ Health Perspect 111(12): doi:10.1289/ehp.6286