An honest review of the new Insect o Cutor Nomad LED Flykiller, built for outdoor use. I'll talk you through how this USB chargeable fly light trap works in different environments and how we used it on our Summer narrowboat holiday.
Gifted Disclaimer: I was kindly gifted this under coincidental circumstances. Unknowingly to this brand, we kept getting bitten on holiday. They dropped it off while we were passing through Leeds Basin (near their office) to test it out in return for an insect repellent review.
Insect insect insect was the theme of our Summer narrowboat holiday last week. We honestly thought a few bottles of Skin So Soft would be enough. How wrong we were!
The problem started after 2 days of boating from Doncaster, while we made out way towards the Leeds and Liverpool canal. Flies were coming in thick and fast, followed by mosquitoes and other pesky insects and we ended up with several bites. Also, our dog, Hans started to get annoyed with them too.
Spiders, we can all handle. But when Insect - O - Cutor got in touch about reviewing their new Nomad UV LED Outdoor Flykiller, and we were passing by boat, we said yes to testing this biting insect control device. So, let's explore it!
What Is a Insect o Cutor Nomad?
The Insectocutor is a USB-powered UV LED flykiller and insect light trap. When you open the box, this is how it comes, as shown above, in an easy-to-carry size with a fold-away handle that's also a hook.
It also has two functions:
- It is a green light pest control above - an outdoor UV LED flykiller to prevent big insect bites
- And a 3 setting dimmable lamp with a clear rubber casing below
You can use either of the above independently as demonstrated below if you want. We mostly only used the pest killer lamp setting on its own.
Insect O Cutor Noman Light Features
Here are the features of the Insectocutor Nomad:
- Charges with a USB cable (which is provided)
- Has a coverage area of 30m squared
- Suitable for outdoor use with it being splashproof
- When using the lowest dim light, should work for around 18 hours
- Aimed at flying or biting pests
It Also Has
- A fold away hook on top to hang in places
- A space saving collapsible bottom making it easy to pack for holidays or if you have limited space.
They don't call it the Nomad for nothing, I guess!
Where We Tested Our USB Bug Killer
Although it's labeled as an outdoor insect killer, we still found using it in a narrowboat the perfect conditions. Why? Because:
- We're near the water where mosquitoes hang out
- Flies and insects love plants and the towpath is FULL of hedgerows
- We can often see flies around dead deer floating in the canal. (We've rescued one deer from drowning already!)
- The windows and doors are often open for vent and cooling reasons
- We spend most of the time outside of the narrowboat, driving on the deck, eating a BBQ or sunbathing on the roof
We also think it would be one of the best insect traps in a tent or camping in a campervan because that's when we normally use one!
How We Used It
Firstly, note that I'd previously recycled 2 plastic drinking bottles, turning them into a DIY fly bait station, with vinegar, sugar and washing-up liquid. I waited a few days and caught NOTHING!
And while it's promoted as an outdoor fly killer, we found it most beneficial in the boat, where we had the most problems. Our bitey insects were clearly attracted to the warmth. These were the ceiling, walls, radiators and our arms, legs, ankles, etc.
And in the above picture, I'd move it around the boat, in true nomad fashion, and hang somewhere close by.
Our Favourite To Hang Use the Insect o Cutor Nomad
Remember when I said we had no luck with Skin So Soft? Well, just before bedtime, we'd spray ourselves liberally. The problem though, was it would wear off in bed.
I think it relies on the slippy nature, as well as the scent, which obviously, then gets rubbed onto bedsheets.
With that in mind, we found the most beneficial place to use it was in the bedroom. It's also important on a boat to keep condensation down after substantial rain, cooking, or having showers. So, we'd keep the portholes partially open and would hang the Nomad on the curtain rail.
What We Caught Over a Few Days
During the last leg of our holiday, we would wake up to a surprising amount of mosquitoes. And I say surprising, as we'd spent a while also trying to swat flies when we saw them.
(I do often wonder how vegans cope when it comes to being bitten). We'd wake up to what seemed like a batch of 20+ bugs caught and thankfully, no new bites.
Then to remove, it comes with a cleaning brush, which I'll be attaching to the light with some string before we lose it! The instructions do also say you can clean with a damp cloth, but it looks tricky to access. *The brush is easy enough.
Other Pros
I'm going to be honest and say that I haven't set a timer to work out how long the green light lasts as I didn't secretly film it while we were asleep. But when we woke up on the first morning, we found it had run out of power. HOWEVER, I then discovered it still works while it's charging.
We also like that it doesn't take long to charge fully and is perfect for traveling with minimal sources of energy.
Also, it's a great alternative if you haven't got a narrowboat flyscreen or similar anti insect netting installed.
Our Dislikes
- We were hoping it would also kill blue bottle flies, but at least these don't bite. They're just an annoyance when they land on you. BUT, the Insect O Cutor do sell larger versions that hook up to mains power
- The green light is bright, so you'll need to wear an eyemask in bed (IF you want to use it in the bedroom)
- Insects fall down in the bottom light's rubber casing, which is not removable as far as I know. But shaking them out seems to work
If you'd like to buy one, you can find the Insectocutor Nomad here.
More Narrowboat Blog Posts
- Our buying a narrowboat experience
- DIY boat fender hangers
- Replacing a leaking waste basin on a narrowboat
- Installing narrowboat window privacy film
- Changing a narrowboat mixer tap
- How we sold our first house and bought a narrowboat (and another house)
- Narrowboat hire for our honeymoon
- Insect O Cutor Nomad Fly Killer Review - tested on our Summer narrowboat holiday
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