Is fuyi worse than mosquitoes?

[Illinoisjoe]

Hi all, I'm curious about people's thoughts on those little fuyi tabs that are mosquito repellents or insecticides or I don't know what. For the uninitiated, they're little perfumed cards that you slide into an electric contraption that heats them, and the fumes somehow prevent mosquitoes from eating you.

It seems like everytime my girlfriend uses one, I have a nasty cough the next day; as if I'd spent the night chain-smoking instead of sleeping in a pristine mosquito free environment. Has anyone else experienced this or better yet know anything about this? Or do I just have tuberculosis? I've never seen the fuyi tabs in the US before coming here, and so I fear them as one fear's the unknown and unfamiliar. I've had lousy luck finding out anything about them. They're made by SC Johnson according to the labeling on the packaging, but SC Johnson won't cop to that on their website.

 

[nativexpat]

I use those tablets... not sure why - I keep getting bothered by those suckers... they do not give me a cough though ...

I used to spray Raid (now THAT gives me the feeling I am dying a little each time) in my room and close the door a couple hours before I went to bed and it didn't work either.

Last week I bought another spray (I believe it's called Selton) - this one is not as strong as Raid - I just use it on demand - meaning, I see a mosquito, spray it (it's tolerable and you can stay in the room afterwards) and so far, it does the trick.

 

[Julia2]

I can´t imagine that they are healthy, but I used them for longer time without any problems (but everybody is different, so maybe you react allergic or so). The mosquitoes do not like the smell and stay away. The best way to protect your room from mosquitoes is the air condition! They don´t like it cold!

 

[Hellek]

Apart from the tabs, there is also a liquid which works in the same way (plugged into a thing you put into the power plug). You might try that although I have to say in advance that I would not be surprised if it is 100% the same chemical substance.
I try to spray my room with raid a few hours before going to bed, if I don't have time for that I put that liquid vaporizing thing in the power plug. Don't have any problems but I would care more about it if I were here longer since I also doubt its harmlessness. Would not recommend putting that stuff in a childs room. Don't spray raid in rooms with open food, like in the kitchen either.

Using AC and keeping the windows shut seems the healthiest proposal and works very well.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Buy one of these plants and no more mosquitos:
http://www.neocultivos.com/plantas_carnivoras_contra_dengue.htm
Regards

 

[dutara]

I haven't tried the tabs in Argentina. I've been keeping a bunch of tabs and the gadget in my traveling bag for years, haven't used it in a while, it's only for extreme situations. I first used it when I was staying in a place on the coast of Brazil where the mozzies were really rife. It's not that the smell scares them off like mosquito coils, this knocks them dead. I was sleeping with it on at night and started coming down with a mild fever. I read in the little paper with the fine print that comes with it that after a few days you needn't use it any more, as the room becomes permeated with it to some degree. I didn't like the idea of that.
Now, if I use it at all, I'll plug it in at around sunset (before going to dinner) then disconnect it before going to sleep. How effective that tactic is for the night I couldn't say, but there's a good chance I'll see dead ones on the bed when I return.
Look at the composition of the pellets for active ingredient(s). Good chance the stuff is not allowed to be sold in N. America or Eurozone -- make of that what you will.

 

[BaltRochGirl]

seriously don't understand the lack of screens in this climate!!! That would pretty much solve the entire mosquito in bedroom issue forever!

 

[mariposa]

i have screens everywhere and i STILL get mosquitos in the house....

 

[elhombresinnombre]

In malaria-ridden areas of the world with a reliable electricity supply, mosquito nets for sleeping are gradually being replaced by ceiling fans and powerful reciprocating fans: it seems that mosquitos are only successful in relatively still air and the air flow from the fans is enough to disrupt them totally. I suppose if your air-con has a powerful enough fan to create turbulance all through the room then you could control the mozzies without chilling things down more than is comfortable. Or get a ceiling fan.

 

[fifs2]

In malaria-ridden areas of the world with a reliable electricity supply, mosquito nets for sleeping are gradually being replaced by ceiling fans and powerful reciprocating fans: it seems that mosquitos are only successful in relatively still air and the air flow from the fans is enough to disrupt them totally. I suppose if your air-con has a powerful enough fan to create turbulance all through the room then you could control the mozzies without chilling things down more than is comfortable. Or get a ceiling fan.

Can agree with this for sure....in my early Bsas days we naively thought mosquitos couldnt fly under nets or gaps in such...we are now convinced they are the highest form of insect life! All our bedrooms have mosquito nets and fuyi plugins and raid cans but as we live near Parque Centenario and a large lake therein nothing can combat the blood sucking desire of the Caballito mosquitos..fans however seem to be very effective and overall covering yourself in repellant or spraying the air with Raid has to have long term effects,..anything natural has to be better.