1.
Bug Zappers: These are the most popular type of "bug catching" device on the market..
..
so they must work right? Well...
sort of.
They definitely catch bugs left and right, but the question is..
..
what type of bugs? If we are talking about the mosquito here, these are very ineffective.
When you look at the dead bugs at the bottom of the trap, usually less than about 1 percent of them are bugs that bite, like the mosquito.
In fact, these bug zappers mostly catch bugs that KILL or snack on a nice tasty mosquito.
Very counter productive.
2.
Bug sprays and lotions: The jury is still out on whether or not these types of products are safe for children, as they tend to have it on their hands then rub their eyes.
It is also debated whether or not they are safe to use during pregnancy.
As for effectiveness, I could throw out stats and info all day long, but none of that matters, as most of you reading this have had your own experience with these products.
Do they work? If you have had similar experiences as me, you may have found that some of them are effective enough to get the job done for the most part, if effective means I get home with much less mosquito bites than I would have without it, but at the end of the day, I am still itchy.
The main problem I find with relying on these products alone is the fact that it may be a good temporary defence to keep mosquitoes at bay, but it does not destroy the mosquito population in general and for good.
However, it may make sense to use these products in ADDITION to other techniques.
3.
Carbon Dioxide is one of the biggest attractants to the mosquito.
It is the main reason why they are able to hunt us down.
They are attracted to us when we breath.
One product that makes good use of this concept is the Mosquito Magnet, which is a machine designed to re-create human breathing.
They are used outdoors and seem to be highly effective in destroying entire mosquito "colonies".
They cost a lot more than just buying a can of spray at the local drug store, but in the long run it may save you money by just getting rid of the mosquito colonies completely and using less (or no) spray.
4.
Natural Attractants: A free way to avoid a day full of mosquito bites, is to simply be informed on mosquito behaviours in general, and to be well informed on what causes them to be in or around our areas in the first place.
One thing to avoid, is standing water.
This is where they like to lay their eggs.
For example, if you have a pail full of rain water sitting in your yard, or a kiddie pool you have not got around to draining for a while...
you should deal with that immediately.
A mosquito will also be attracted to sweet and "floral" scents, as well as fragrances from things like hair sprays and perfumes.
It should also be noted, that the mosquito will tend to be more active during dusk and dawn.
Bug Zappers: These are the most popular type of "bug catching" device on the market..
..
so they must work right? Well...
sort of.
They definitely catch bugs left and right, but the question is..
..
what type of bugs? If we are talking about the mosquito here, these are very ineffective.
When you look at the dead bugs at the bottom of the trap, usually less than about 1 percent of them are bugs that bite, like the mosquito.
In fact, these bug zappers mostly catch bugs that KILL or snack on a nice tasty mosquito.
Very counter productive.
2.
Bug sprays and lotions: The jury is still out on whether or not these types of products are safe for children, as they tend to have it on their hands then rub their eyes.
It is also debated whether or not they are safe to use during pregnancy.
As for effectiveness, I could throw out stats and info all day long, but none of that matters, as most of you reading this have had your own experience with these products.
Do they work? If you have had similar experiences as me, you may have found that some of them are effective enough to get the job done for the most part, if effective means I get home with much less mosquito bites than I would have without it, but at the end of the day, I am still itchy.
The main problem I find with relying on these products alone is the fact that it may be a good temporary defence to keep mosquitoes at bay, but it does not destroy the mosquito population in general and for good.
However, it may make sense to use these products in ADDITION to other techniques.
3.
Carbon Dioxide is one of the biggest attractants to the mosquito.
It is the main reason why they are able to hunt us down.
They are attracted to us when we breath.
One product that makes good use of this concept is the Mosquito Magnet, which is a machine designed to re-create human breathing.
They are used outdoors and seem to be highly effective in destroying entire mosquito "colonies".
They cost a lot more than just buying a can of spray at the local drug store, but in the long run it may save you money by just getting rid of the mosquito colonies completely and using less (or no) spray.
4.
Natural Attractants: A free way to avoid a day full of mosquito bites, is to simply be informed on mosquito behaviours in general, and to be well informed on what causes them to be in or around our areas in the first place.
One thing to avoid, is standing water.
This is where they like to lay their eggs.
For example, if you have a pail full of rain water sitting in your yard, or a kiddie pool you have not got around to draining for a while...
you should deal with that immediately.
A mosquito will also be attracted to sweet and "floral" scents, as well as fragrances from things like hair sprays and perfumes.
It should also be noted, that the mosquito will tend to be more active during dusk and dawn.