Choose the right mozzie fogger for you!
With summer and mozzie season upon us again it is the time of year to seriously consider the purchase of a Fog Off Mozzie Mosquito Fogger. There are a number of options that are available to you, so which one do you need?
First let’s look at why you might want to use a fogger.
Foggers are an easy and very effective way to reduce your mozzie problems. They disperse a natural insecticide using ether a water or diesel based fog hence the term fogger. While foggers are most commonly used to get rid of mosquitos there is a large list (see below) of insects that they will dispatch with. Not only do they get rid of plenty of pests but they also do it very cost effectively.
- Mosquitoes (Mozzies), Midges, Flies, Sand Flies
- Aphids, Ants, Cabbage Moths and other Caterpillars
- Earwigs, Leafhoppers, Thrips and White flies
- Silver Fish, Moths, Cockroaches, Grain Weevils, Spiders, Earwigs, Beetles
- Other flying insects
There are two basic concepts for fogging, the first is to create the fog using heat the second is to create fog by reducing the particles to an ultra low volume (ULV).
Thermal Fogging
Thermal fogging works by heating up the carrier liquid very fast causing it to turn into a vapour. This is much the same principal as if you were to pour water into a hot frypan. The Insecticide is then carried by this fog and will attach to any pests. The usual carrier is diesel though many also use paraffin oil
ULV fogging
ULV fogging works in a different way it uses water to carry the insecticides, the use of water also makes it safe to use inside. The water is essentially pushed at high speed out the nozzle which causes the particles to break away from each other creating a fine mist. The particle sizes can often be varied to suit the conditions that you are spraying in.
Fogger Options
There are a number of options available on the market, however we stock 4 which between them can cover most applications.
The Thermal Butane Fogger is the lightest option in the range, it can also be broken down for easier storage. This makes it an ideal option for camping. Running off a standard butane canister – available from most camping and hardware stores – it is also one of the easiest to power.
The Butane fogger is run by hand pumping the carrier fluid so it is not one for doing large areas at once. They will however fog large areas, easily doing 1000m2 in about an hour. It is well suited to fogging homes, gardens, small acreage as well as sheds and buildings where power isn’t available. Further to that is it also well suited to fruit trees and small orchards.
The Industrial fogger is the big daddy of the range. This still works on the same principle as the Thermal Butane Fogger but it does it on a much larger scale. This fogger uses a small 30hp motor to push the carrier liquid into the exhaust which turns it into a fog and expels it well over 8m from the fogger.
This fogger is great because of its ability to cover large areas in small amounts of time. Many often mount these foggers to ATVs or farm vehicles to improve their portability and ability to cover large areas. The Industrial Fogger is also very popular with local councils, governments and park rangers for wide spread pest control
The Electric ULV fogger is a small semi portable fogger. It runs from 240V power so needs to be within range of a power point, or a really long extension lead. It has a 6m dispersion range and a 4L tank can last 15min on full blast – it is unusual to use it on its full settings.
This fogger is perfect for in home use as unlike the thermal foggers it is safe to use in enclosed spaces. Due to the cold fogging nature of the ULV it doesnt break down the additive, this makes it suitable for spreading disinfectants and sanitisers as well as deodorisers and anti-moulding agents. The have been sold in the past to cruiser liners to disinfect luggage as it came aboard so as not to spread any local pests.
The Portable ULV fogger, much like the electric ULV fogger is safe to use in enclosed spaces with less concern. The Portable fogger runs off a lithium ion battery which allows the unit to travel more easily. This fogger has a 5L tank which can offer up to 15 minutes of continuous fogging and a battery life of up to an hour. With the ability to change the particle size it offers both indoor and outdoor capabilities. Like the Electric ULV Fogger the Portable ULV Fogger is able to disperse disinfectants and sanitisers due to it not breaking down the additive.
Insecticides
There are a number of insecticides on the market that will work with any of these foggers, both natural and synthetic.
Having tried many different options over the years we have found that a natural pyrethrum mix is the most effective. We sell a commercial grade product so it is perfect for any application and due to its short breakdown time in UV light there will be no residual left over. These qualities make the natural pyrethrum a very safe option compared to synthetic chemicals, some of which can hang around for days, if not weeks.