Many consumer products claim to attract, repel or kill mosquitoes. Most of these devices do not appreciably reduce mosquito abundance or incidence of bites, or else are unproven.
Electrocuting devices or “Bug zappers”, using ultraviolet light as an attractant, are generally ineffective in reducing outdoor populations of mosquitoes or their biting activity. Studies indicate that mosquitoes make up only a tiny percentage of the insects captures in such traps. The majority are moths, beetles, and other harmless night flying insects.
Other types of mosquito traps use carbon dioxide, warmth, light, and various chemicals (e.g. octenol) as attractants and claim to capture tremendous numbers of mosquitoes. Such devices often cost hundreds of dollars and some sell for over $1,000. Performance claims to the contrary, such devices seldom have been shown to actually reduce populations of biting mosquitoes on a property, or the incidence of bites. In some situations they could even attract more mosquitoes into the area one is hoping to protect.
Advertisements for portable electronic devices that use high-frequency ultrasonic sound routinely appear in magazines and claim to keep mosquitoes and other pests at bay. Some supposedly repel mosquitoes by mimicking the wing beat frequency of a hungry dragonfly. Scientific studies have repeatedly shown these devices to be of negligible benefit in deterring mosquitoes and reducing bites. Companies that market such devices with unsubstantiated claims have been told to cease and desist by consumer protection agencies but others continue to appear hoping that consumers will buy them. Save your money, these devices seldom, if ever, provide any measure of relief.
Citronella oil does have mosquito repelling properties and the scented candles can provide a degree of protection. For maximum effect, use multiple candles placed close (within a few feet) of where people are sitting. A single candle at the center or edge of a picnic blanket probably won’t provide much benefit other than atmosphere. Mosquito repellent plants like garlic and other oft-advertized botanicals generally are ineffective.
Bats and certain types of birds (purple martins) often are cited as effective natural agents for managing mosquitoes. Conservation groups and articles in nature magazines often suggest building bat and bird houses to promote nesting and to protect against mosquitoes. However, mosquitoes make up only a small portion of their natural diet. Much like “bug zappers”, they capture all kinds of flying insects. Efforts to colonize and conserve these animals should not be done solely with the intent of significantly diminishing biting mosquitoes. When it comes to managing mosquitoes, a good rule of thumb is “if the device or method sounds too good to be true, then probably it is.
Our up and coming articles will provide you with the biology of mosquitos, preventive measures and remediation to protect you from the Zika virus during this period of Mosquito infestation in the New York/New Jersey area. Our business at Wildlife Busters is to eradicate from your house and business unwanted critters and insects.
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