Mosquito Coils: Are They Really Effective?

Mosquito Coils: Are They Really Effective?

Between the relentless itching and the fears of mosquito-borne illnesses, it’s easy to forget that the tiny bloodsucking vampires are a wonder of evolution and that maybe we should be a little nicer to the buzzy fliers. 

But then it happens... Your fabulous day in the great outdoors is quickly ruined as swarms of skeeters buzz in your ear and nibble on your skin, resulting in big red itchy welts. Yeah, if it were up to us, the icky insects wouldn’t exist, but apparently, Mother Nature thinks we need them.    

The bane of almost the entire world, mosquitoes are a huge nuisance. Thankfully, there are many things we can do to protect ourselves from the winged beasts, like using BuzzPatch or lighting citronella candles. 

Another popular way to repel the bloodthirsty villains is by using a mosquito coil — but are they really effective?

Read on to find out!

Why Is it So Important To Keep Mosquitoes at Bay? 

Believe it or not, there are around 3,500 species of mosquitoes, and they can be found in almost every part of the world. Unfortunately, it’s true. While that may sound like a whole lot of skeeters, the truth is that not all of them look at you like a delicious meal. In fact, it’s only the ladies that suck blood. 

You see, female mosquitoes require the nutrients in human blood for reproduction. On the other hand, male mosquitoes don’t even have the mouthparts to bite and prefer sipping sweet sugary nectar from plants. 

That being said, keeping female mosquitoes at bay is of the utmost importance and not just because those pesky bites itch like crazy.

Why? Well, for many reasons — here are some of them:

They Carry and Transmit Life-Threatening Diseases

You would think after a hungry skeeter filled its belly with our blood, it would show us some kind of appreciation. But, nope: instead, when these monsters uninvitedly help themselves to our blood, they leave us with a red itchy welt and, in some cases, a life-threatening illness. 

Illnesses transmitted by mosquitoes kill more than a million people every single year and infect more than a billion, causing brain damage, blindness, debilitating pain, and other serious effects. With this in mind, it makes perfect sense that the buzzing pests are considered the world’s deadliest animal

Some of the diseases that these awful bugs carry include:

  • Dengue 
  • Malaria
  • Zika virus
  • West Nile virus
  • Chikungunya
  • Yellow fever

If you get bit by a mosquito and experience a fever, headache, or muscle pain, make an appointment with your primary healthcare provider as soon as possible to get checked out.   

They Leave Itchy Bug Bites

When a female mosquito lands on your skin, she will pierce your flesh and inject some of her saliva (yes, bug spit) to prevent blood clotting so that she can enjoy her meal. When the icky bug is full, she will fly away, leaving behind her saliva. This is when your body takes action.

Your immune system recognizes the insect’s saliva as a foreign substance and will immediately attack it with histamine, which then creates the red itchy welt or allergic reaction that we are all way too familiar with. 

The itching can last for a handful of days — unless, of course, you have Magic Patch.

Using our grid-relief technology, our Itch Relief Magic Patches gently lift the skin (no chemicals) to help the lymphatic system drain the itchy saliva injected by the mosquito. Simply unstick off a relief patch, plop it down on the itchy area, and you should feel much better in as little as 60 seconds!

They Are a Major Nuisance and Will Hunt. You. Down. 

Like Hunger Games but for mosquitoes, you can’t run, and you can’t hide — these bloodthirsty vampires can detect heat and are attracted to the stuff you exhale (CO2). So if you don’t want to be mosquito bait, you can always stop breathing, although that’s not really recommended. 

Mosquitoes are a pain in literally so many ways. And unless you protect yourself with something like our revolutionary Mosquito Repellent Patches, they will find you, and they will annoy you. 

What Are Mosquito Coils? 

Now that you know all about mosquitoes and why it’s important to keep them at bay, let’s talk about mosquito coils, shall we?

Mosquito coils date back to the 19th century and operate, more or less, on the same concept behind aromatherapy. However, instead of releasing lovely scents, mosquito coils release smokey odors that repel — you guessed it — mosquitoes

Mosquito coils work in one of two ways:

  • Those that contain icky insecticides that debilitate skeeters
  • And those that contain aromatic substances (like citronella) to repel the winged beasts

OK — Do They Work? 

Yes, mosquito coils are, in fact, effective at deterring mosquitoes and reducing itchy bug bites. However, just because they work doesn’t mean that they are safe. 

In a recent study, researchers concluded that the particulates in the smoke from a single mosquito coil could be equal to those from 75 to 137 cigarettes. We know… mind blown.

What’s more: some mosquito coils even have active substances that are extremely toxic and can cause illness. Needless to say, mosquito coils are not the best option when it comes to battling the buzzing insects. 

BuzzPatch — The Natural Way To Keep Mosquitoes Away 

While mosquitoes are undoubtedly a nuisance, using harsh chemicals to avoid them is certainly not the best way to go. There are safer options out there that are just as effective as mosquito coils but don’t come with all the toxins. 

Not sure where to find an all-natural mosquito repellent that actually works? Check out BuzzPatch — the natural way to keep mosquitoes from running your day!

Here at The Natural Patch Co., we know what mosquito bites mean for kids. Our poor tiny tots can’t handle the itch day or night. And some kids could even develop an allergic reaction to the bite that results in swelling, pain, and a whole lot of itching.  

BuzzPatch uses the most effective but safe essential oil combination designed to confuse the biting bugs and hide your kids from their senses. For itch-free days and happy kids, the patches repel mosquitoes while smelling amazing (but only to us people). And the best part?

Unlike topical bug sprays that contain gross chemicals like DEET or Picaridin, BuzzPatch is not only super easy to apply but environment-friendly, too.

Perfect for all ages, including babies, toddlers, kids, and adults, with our chemical-free, great-smelling mosquito repellent patches, you can keep your whole family safe and protected — the natural way! 

 

Sources:

A systematic review of mosquito coils and passive emanators: defining recommendations for spatial repellency testing methodologies - Parasites & Vectors | Parasites, and Vectors

Mosquito Coil Emissions and Health Implications | NCBI

Octachlorodipropyl ether (s-2) mosquito coils are inadequately studied for residential use in Asia and illegal in the United States | NCBI

What Purpose do Mosquitoes Serve? •|The National Wildlife Federation Blog

Fighting the World's Deadliest Animal | CDC

Mosquito Patches for Kids

Mosquito Patches for Kids

A scientifically formulated and tested blend of highly effective, all natural essential oils that have been used for hundreds of years by indigenous communities to repel mosquitos.

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