I'm looking for suggestions and advice on the important topic of mosquitos, and specifically how to burn citronelle oil to deter them from eating (with) us on the terrace in the evening.
I remember using citronelle candles in the past while camping, and that seemed to be effective though the effects were pretty localised.
So, more recently with the eventual completion of the terrace we have started eating outside more often. At Leroy Merlin I found a large container of citronelle oil, and steel torch things in which to burn it. They looked great, weren't expensive, so off we went.
The problem is that in use they are fairly fiddly because they are essentially bottles where the wick passes through the cap. This causes problems because the wick needs to reach the bottom of the container, and it's relatively bulky. If you fill the container too full then the oil leaks out everywhere as you try to re-insert the wick. Also, the wicks are difficult to get into the narrow opening, so more spillage.
Any of the torch-type oil burners I have seen suffer from this same problem, there is no separate cap through which to fill up the oil.
My second problem with the torches is simply that they are unreliable. They don't seem to burn consistently, and I have trouble adjusting the wick to make it burn with a reasonable flame, regardless of how full the reservoir is.
A quick trawl round the local garden centres turned up nothing, all that's available is the torch type.
What to do? Should I be looking at hurricane lamps? Has anyone tried them? Any other anti-mozzie tips, apart from covering up completely or staying indoors?
Lemon balm works for the mosquitoes, only for 24 - 30 hours whilst fresh(ish) and as a supplementary or emergency when you have nothing else, nice smelling deterrent. I also grow lemon grass, the actual citronnella from which the oil is made, apart from cooking with it, it don't do nuffink...
Everyone is safe when I am around. I seem to be the main target for these pests.
I am now using a product called Mousti fluid, for the tropics, which I get at the pharmacistes. It is not citronelle, which is of no use to me at all, but very effective.
OK, so the lamps work with citronelle oil too. I'll have to search a little more. Our closest Bricorama isn't particularly handy, but I'll bear it in mind. Either that or Amazon, though I prefer to look at things in actual shops if I can.
We have lemon balm too. I wasn't particularly aware of its anti-insect properties.
I see that people like a natural product called Tropimoustic. Sounds like a good idea for when out and about, or on the terrace, I guess. I'll need to get some and try it out.
I tried the candles before but as I say I wasn't that impressed.
Oh just remembered. I have loads of lemon balm (melissa officionalis) which is 'mélisse citronnelle' here growing in my herb garden. I cut bunches of it to hang around the place. It works best when the leaves are fresh and full, quite well when first flowering, but after then ceases to be especially effective (like now).
We have a plague of flies more than mosquitoes this year. Citronnelle works for both. We are using the oil lamps and candles. We found the lamps in Bricorama, refill no problem, but probably not as cheap as your ones. The sprays help a bit too. We also have a couple of the Johnson's Raid electric oil diffusers for back up.
The earliest use of Citronnelle was as a body spray, there are now rechargeable bracelets for individual protection and sprays you can treat your clothes with.
Candles are widely available, try Googling 'camping moustique citronnelle' for more info and sources.
or theres a continuing discussion on the subject here http://forum.sports-sante.com/comment-se-proteger-efficacement-contre-les-piqures-de-moustiques-t2046.html