Every night, a mass murderer stalks the darkness of America’s suburbs. An eerie blue glow lures hapless victims from their properties. The doomed souls, mesmerized by the light, throng to their deaths in sizzling blasts of electricity. I’m speaking in regards to the bug zapper. Many people use the system to rid themselves of mosquitoes and other pests. "Kill flies, mosquitoes, gnats, and wasps," touts Black and Decker. Flowtron will help eradicate flying pests over up to "2 acres" for simply $315. Another advertises itself as an "eco-friendly" approach to "instantly kill" mosquitoes. The problem? None of those claims are true, Zap Zone Defender Review scientists say. In reality, bug zappers make it extra likely you’ll be bitten by mosquitoes whereas sitting in your yard. "When it comes to mosquitoes, bug zappers don’t work," says James Fordyce, an entomologist on the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Bug zappers are exceptional killers of bugs - simply not those that chew you. Among the many thousands of insects these units electrocute every night time, almost all are harmless.

One study estimated even a fraction of the bug zappers offered within the United States kill more than 70 billion insects yearly - with no discernible impact on mosquitoes or other biting insects. This pointless slaughter of native insect populations may be hastening the decline of species, the insect apocalypse. I talked to consultants about why bug zappers are a very bad thought to get rid of mosquitoes - and what works as an alternative. Bug zappers purport to work by attracting mosquitoes, typically utilizing a lightbulb that emits ultraviolet gentle, or typically carbon dioxide or Official Zap Zone Defender chemical bait. Yet research show nearly no mosquitoes or other biting insects ever enter a zapper. In 1997, bug zapper the University of Florida’s medical entomological laboratory tallied the loss of life toll from one bug zapper over a single night time: bug zapper 10,000 insects. Just eight had been mosquitoes. Similar research reflected those findings. Around the identical time, Zap Zone Defender researchers at the University of Delaware used a bug zapper to lure 13,789 insects over a summer season.

Only 31 - 0.22 percent - were biting insects resembling mosquitoes and gnats. What did it kill? Beneficial bugs, bug zapper mostly. Roughly half the victims - 6,670 insects - were harmless aquatic species from nearby rivers and streams, fish food within the aquatic meals chain. Many of the others had been parasitic wasps and Zap Zone Defender beetles that naturally prey on mosquitoes. Mosquitoes should not fooled by zappers because, along with other bloodsucking insects, they have advanced to house in on animals’ exhaled carbon dioxide, not ultraviolet mild, scientists say. Even when mosquitoes are drawn in by a bug zapper, Zap Zone Defender they'll instantly redirect their attention to their favourite foods: warmblooded mammals, particularly humans. And Colorado State University’s extension service has reached the same conclusion: "No controlled scientific research has proven that these devices scale back mosquito biting rates outdoors," it states on its web site. None responded with material supporting their claims after multiple inquiries.

Black and Decker referred all questions to a contract manufacturer, which additionally did not respond. These claims not only mislead buyers by ignoring scientific evidence, however they could create a false sense of security for individuals who use these units to protect in opposition to mosquito-borne diseases in the United States, Fordyce said. "If one wish to keep away from being bit, a repellent is the answer," he says. "Even if zappers worked … The FTC, whereas not commenting on the companies’ advertising statements, noted that it had investigated deceptive statements and security issues prior to now issuing warning letters and filing cases against manufacturers of other varieties of pest control, comparable to ultrasonic devices. FTC officials beneficial the public submit any complaints by way of their website. What does repel mosquitoes? Bug zappers are just considered one of many suspect merchandise promising to do away with biting insects: ultrasonic units, propane-fired CO2 traps, and pesticide misters are amongst those that don't work, or do more harm than good, according to Texas A&M.