Friday, November 13, 2009

Mosquito-Repelling Paper Lanterns

By Cody Scholberg

When you are outdoors, like in your backyard or garden, you can enhance your experience with the use of paper lanterns. Unfortunately, if you live in a humid area, there will likely be a mosquito problem which detracts from your enjoyment of the outdoors. You can use bug spray, but it stinks and burns the skin and eyes.

You can use paper lanterns to repel mosquitoes. All you have to do is buy a mosquito repellent candle and place it in your flame-lit paper lantern. You can buy these candles in many different stores, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes; they have different ranges of effectiveness, usually anywhere from five to fifteen feet.

When you are using paper lanterns to fight against mosquitoes, you must set them up properly and use an adequate number of them. First, you need to know the range of the candles you are using. If you do not know, check on the box the candle came with; if it did not come in a box, and there is no information on the packaging or label, then check with the manufacturer. Once you set up the candles, ensure that there is a one-foot overlap in the radii of the effective ranges. The last foot has the weakest protection, and by overlapping, you are strengthening the weakest point in your defense.

After setting up the lanterns in a border around the area you want to protect (which is pretty easy to figure out), you are ready to enjoy the protected area. However, it is not always this easy, as there are some special situations to watch out for. Any chlorinated water will deter mosquitoes, since chlorine is a natural repellent of mosquitoes. So, you can use half the number of candles, thereby doubling the distance between them.

However, the opposite is true if you are using non-chlorinated water. You will need to, in this case, double the number of lanterns, or cut the distance between them in half. Mosquitoes like water. But, they do not just like water, for they love it. It is where they come from; they are born in water. It is their breeding ground. Because of this irresistible attraction to water, you will need to use double the amount of lanterns when protecting against an area with non-chlorinated water.

Paper lanterns can provide a safe source of light. They are wonderful additions to an outdoor family dinner, as they can provide you with a source of dim, peaceful light, all the while protecting you and your family against bugs. - 23812

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