Home owners normally use insect foggers outdoors for the control of various insect species. Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and the West Nile Virus prompt more home owners to try and control this insect pest. It is easier to control insects indoors because the area that requires attention is limited compared to gardens and other outdoor recreational areas. Foggers are most suited to control insects on lawns and in flower beds around the home. Total-release aerosol foggers are available for indoor use. Does this Spark an idea?
Thermal Foggers
Thermal insect foggers contain a heating coil. This coil heats the fogging solution and produces a pesticide smoke or fog. Thermal foggers are easy to handle because they are light weight. Thermal foggers are also economical to use and work well for small business operations and domestic outdoor use. These foggers are not suitable for indoor use. Thermal foggers produce thick clouds of smoke and home owners typically use them to fog under trees, between shrubs and across lawns. Thermal foggers are available in either a propane or an electric powered unit.
Cold Fog Units
Cold fog units are electrical devices fitted with special tips or fans that transform the insecticide into an aerosol or into minute droplets. Cold fog units use pyrethrins (a natural organic contact toxin) or a pyrethrin concentrate. This insecticide effectively destroys a variety of insects, including gnats, mosquitoes and various species of flies. Pyrethrin fog does not leave a residue, which makes it a good choice for use on shrubs and other outdoor vegetation. You can also add permethrin, a man-made pyrethrin, to a pyrethrin solution to give it a longer lasting effect.
Indoor Foggers
Also known as total release aerosol or bug bombs, indoor foggers are aerosol canisters that release a pyrethrin insecticide into the room. Home owners usually use these foggers for crawling insects, such as cockroaches. Total release foggers tend to flush the creatures from the deep recesses in which they are hiding, but do not always kill every insect. Never activate an indoor fogger near an open flame or the pilot light of a stove.
Homemade Foggers
The control of insects outdoors becomes important as progressively more families choose to enjoy barbecues and other family activities. A homemade fogger is not difficult to put together if you have a walk-behind mower and a few simple pieces of equipment. Use metal cable ties to secure an oilcan with a flexible hose onto the vertical handle of the mower. Connect one end of a copper pipe to the flexible hose on the oil can, while pushing the other end into a hole that you have drilled in the muffler box on the mower. Pour insecticide into the oil can. Once the mower is running, it will release generous amounts of smoke. You can attach a similar homemade fogger to a ride-on mower as well.
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