Mosquito Magnets

A bug zapper is a device that uses a light source to attract insects to an electrical grid, where they are incinerated by the current. The name stems from the characteristic "zzzap" sound that the insects make as they are electrocuted. more...

Bug zappers are usually made from a housing of plastic or grounded metal. A light source, often a fluorescent light (often designed to emit insect-attractive ultraviolet light) is attached inside the housing, surrounded by an electrically charged wire grid. A transformer changes standard 120-volt current into 2,000-volt current. Many bug zappers are also equipped with shallow trays that collect the remains of the electrocuted insects.

Drawbacks

Although many people use bug zappers to control mosquito populations, the actual number of mosquitoes that are attracted to the devices is quite low, as mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide rather than to UV light. Beneficial insects, or those that are harmless to humans are killed indiscriminately. The strong UV light attracts many insects indoors or to the patio that would not otherwise be present.

When insects are incinerated by the discharge, their bodies virtually explode, which allows an aerosol form of their remains to be inhaled by or to settle on the surfaces and/or food of people in the room. This could be unhealthy. If biting insects do get into the trap they will be carrying the blood of humans or other animals. For this reason bug zappers are the subject of health regulations for restaurants and food processing plants.

Despite the proven ineffectiveness of bug zappers against biting insects, they are sold in large numbers. A possible explanation for this discrepancy is that bug zappers have an irrational attractiveness to humans in that their operation provides some kind of gratification.

Alternate methods

There are several alternatives for the destruction of annoying insects. A product currently on the market releases an artificial pheromone for mosquitoes. The mosquitoes are attracted to the pheromones, and fly towards the source until they are caught in a net, where they die of dehydration. Citronella is another low-cost substitute for a "bug zapper". It is usually available in retail stores in the form of candles or wrist bands. DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide or N,N-diethly-3-methylbenzamide) is also another excellent bug repellent and is available at the same places listed above.

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