I have read the reviews on mosquitoes and pest control posted on MS and found them informative but often misleading due to the many misconceptions propogated by members in earnest.
Am in the pest control business so feel a responsibility to clarify some of these half truths and misconceptions.
Only the female mosquito bites to obtain a blood meal (for protein for its progeny / eggs inside). Males lack the mouth parts to do this and feed largely on plant sap and juices.
Aedes is the genus of mosquito that does transmit Dengue. It is ’day biter’ primarily (i.e active during the day) and always prefers fresh, clear water as a breeding medium.
Coolers that collect water as part of their operative design are major sources for this type of mosquito. Hence North India suffers attacks more than other states, especially during the summer months.
All insecticides have their pros and cons and it is the nature of use that would determine the value of each. The most sensible way to prevent mosquitoes is to prevent water stagnation of any kind (especially in urban environments like our cities) but I acknowledge that this is easier said than done.
However, in my experience, breeding happens closer to home than people realise! Check whether you are the cause of your own problem first: a soft drink bottle cap with water can be enough to breed many Aedes mosquitoes! As also, empty cans, coconuts etc. Leaking or uncovered overhead tanks in buildings are ideal locations.
Planters that collect water at the bottom are another favourite. About products that kill mosquitoes: all of them have insecticides that are designed to emanate into a given space (coils by burning, mats and vapourisers are heated).
Consequently, they do have their uses but only under certain circumstances, the main criterion being a closed space. The users who experience good results are invariably the ones who close their doors and windows and let the chemical accumulate in the space but while this will kill the mosquitoes present it sometimes provides too large a concentration of insecticide and hence personal exposure. It will not prevent them from coming in once the place is vented and fresh air is allowed in.
Aerosols are the wrong preventive for mosquitoes as the droplet of chemical stays aerosolised (minute particles floating in air) for only a very short time and would be relatively useless against flying insects after this brief period of minutes!
Unless you hit the insect directly or it obliging flies into the spray! I have found that a mosquito net soaked in a solution of synthetic pyrethroid (not unlike the active ingredients used by all the mats, vapourisers etc) hung over all the openings like doorways, windows etc is the most effective in preventing them from entry, and kills them when they settle on the net.
This helps direct exposure to the chemical, prevents ingress by mosquitoes as well as kills them thereby preventing them from biting others too. In conclusion, vapourisers are quite the same no matter which brand you subscribe to.
All of them have similar chemicals and mechanisms. The value / efficacy seen in one or the other is more a result of their marketing and promotional strategies and the way they are used by each buyer!