In deep East Texas opening weekend of bow season is cooler than summer but definitely still warm enough for mosquitos. I few years ago my olive green ThermaCELL mosquito repellent became a permanent fixture in my hunting pack. We love them so much that the ThermaCELL patio lantern has become a permanent fixture on our back porch so watching the kids in the pool is now much more pleasant experience!
Saturday when I climbed up in my stand to settle in for what I hoped would be an exciting opening weekend I was in for a shocking surprise. Not finding the other ThermaCell I grabbed the patio lantern and took it with me to the stand lighting it and placing it under my seat. I sat there in silence with no pestering bugs just watching and waiting. I caught some movement low and beside me out of the corner of my eye and slowly glanced down. There were 3 red wasps on the seat next to me! Looking further several more were climbing out of a hole in the bottom of the seat and several more still were on the floor of the stand or climbing up my backpack! None of them were acting normal. A couple managed to take flight and get away but the rest seemed so affected by the ThermaCell under them they were rendered flightless and dazed. For my family and friends who know me well and have had to accompany me to the doctor or stand by and watch rings be cut off of my hands with a cast cutter because one of these guys stung me….yes I was having a do some deep breathing keep it under control and let your scientific brain investigate a little moment!…They really were so “rocked” they weren’t an Immediate threat! Knowing that I did not have an epi-pen in my bag and that if that many wasps were to sting me as far out as we were I’d never make it to the hospital I stood on the seat and eliminated the closest ones, got a quick video for proof, and then climbed down thanked God for bestowing brilliance on the team at ThermaCell!! Literally a life saver!!
ThermaCell products are designed to repel mosquitoes, black flies, and no-see-ums. On this day ThermaCell aided in helping Raychel get out of a possible bad situation.
How ThermaCell Works (from www.thermacell.com)
ThermaCELL® Mosquito Repellent Lanterns and Appliancesare powered by a single butane cartridge. Butane provides the cordless, portable heat that activates the patented devices.
The heat generated by the butane cartridge is directed to a metal grill that is part of the design of the Lantern or Appliance. A small mat, saturated with repellent, sits on top of the metal grill. Heat vaporizes the repellent, allowing it to rise into the air.
The repellent is allethrin, a copy of a repellent that naturally occurs in chrysanthemum flowers. It repels mosquitoes, black flies, and no-see-ums, and will not harm humans or pets.
Within minutes after turning on the Lantern or Appliance, the repellent creates a 15 by 15-foot (225 square-foot) area of repellency, the size of an average deck, patio, or campsite. All ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellent products use the same refills, which contain both repellent mats and butane cartridges.
To find out more information on ThermaCell Products go to www.thermacell.com
Raychel Shaw is a Shoot Like A Girl Firearms Instructor, owner of East Texas Firearms Training and a member of Shoot Like A Girl Pro Staff. To find out more about Raychel go to www.ShootLikeAGirl.com and click on Pro Staff or go to www.EastTexasFirearmsTraining.com