These are all products that when lit, can provide some area protection from mosquitoes by lighting them in an area near or around where people intend to be outdoors for a limited period of time.
They contain products that are primarily intended to repel not kill mosquitoes and generally only work for a very limited period of time before needing replaced or refilled. They are appropriate for use on a patio in very low or no wind conditions but due to varying conditions should not be counted on to provide the same level of protection as a personal skin repellent. Depending on the product they generally contain small amounts of pesticides, which repel the mosquitoes, or very often they contain a substance called Oil of Citronella. Oil of Citronella has been used for around 50 years without any reports of adverse effects of concern.
EPA studies with laboratory animals indicate this substance would pose little or no toxicity to humans.
Citronella can be found in a variety of products such as candles, skin products, lamp oils, flea collars and other products that are used to provide repellent qualities from insects. Read the label and look for the words “active ingredient” to determine what kind of substance or pesticide is in the product that will have the repellent properties.
The words “Inert ingredients” refer to those that are there for some other reason than to provide insect repellent qualities.
