Anyone who has enjoyed sitting outside on a quiet summer night may have heard the sound of a bug zapper. When a zapping occurs, there’s a distinctive electronic zzz sound. You can’t miss it, because there will be dozens; no, hundreds; no, thousands (perhaps). But do bug zappers work to reduce biting insects like mosquitoes in your lawn? No, not really. We’ll explain why.
How Bug Zappers Work
- They send out a light. Ultraviolet lights are the standard, with some using mercury or neon.
- The light attracts bugs into the device.
- When the bug flies inside, it creates an electric circuit in the metal grids.
- The bug is electrocuted. Often the electrocution has a distinctive sound. It is said that a bug zapper can kill 10,000 insects in an evening.
A pro’s tip: A bug zapper will attract and kill a lot of insects (such as midges), but not very many mosquitoes. Some bug zappers compensate by using as an attractant a non-toxic pheromone that attracts mosquitoes, or by emitting carbon dioxide, since studies show mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide given off by people.
What Bug Zappers Attract (Instead of Mosquitoes)
In a famed study published in the journal Entomological News (and conducted by Timothy Frick and Douglas Tallamy of the University of Delaware), of 13,789 killed by bug zappers one summer, only 31 (0.22%) were biting flies like mosquitoes.
The study also found:
- 6,670 (48.4%) were nonbiting aquatic insects from nearby rivers and streams, where they served as a primary source of food for fish.
- 1,868 (13.5%) were flying insects that fed on, and thus controlled, other insects. These beneficial insects are found among the dead bugs, as are fruit flies, considered beneficial for feasting on decaying matter.
The study made the point that 4 million traps being used for 40 nights during the summer would electrocute 71 billion insects needlessly. (The 4 million is an estimate of how many were in use, based on sales of 1 million bug zappers per year.)
A pro’s tip: Not only do bug zappers fail to attract mosquitoes, they also fail to attract other biting flies, including:
- Gnats
- Midges
- Black flies
- Deer flies
- Dog flies
- Horse flies
- Stable flies
How to Fight Off Mosquitoes
If you want to get rid of mosquitoes, instead of buying a bug zapper, take these actions:
- Get rid of standing water. Mosquitoes need stagnant water, which comes from standing water that lasts too long (a week is often cited as the tipping point). Get rid of standing water at your house: It gathers in gutters, pool covers, lawn furniture, buckets and wheelbarrows, over-watered yards.
- Trim the hiding places. This is one more reason why you should trim back the bushes and trees in your yard. Since mosquitoes hang out in shady, dense places, let the sunlight and wind (mosquitoes are weak fliers) make their way through your plants. Your garden will look better (won’t it?), and the mosquitoes will move on.
- Apply bug repellent. Mosquito repellents with DEET or picaridin offer the best protection. If you prefer a DEET alternative, natural mosquito repellents with oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), IR3535, or essential oils offer other options for protection.
- Wear loose clothing. It is more difficult to pierce.
- Wear heavier clothing. Mosquitoes can bite through clothing, so it is better to dress in denim and other sturdier materials. Insect-repellent clothing is also a good option.
Mosquito Traps Might Be the Answer
If you want to go after mosquitoes but not other bugs, there is an evolving technology to consider: mosquito traps.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) invented, field-tested, and developed for use the Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap (AGO). It does not use any insecticide or chemicals and received an Excellence in Technology Transfer Award.
You can even make a mosquito trap as a DIY project. A bottle trap, ovitrap, or fan trap are all possible.
What Happens Too Often
The bug zapper you buy to prevent mosquito bites may lead them to find you instead:
Bug Zapper Use in the World
| Market size | $71.7 million in 2022 |
| Market forecast | $93.4 million in 2031 |
| Growth rate | 3.4 percent |
Source: Transparency Market Research
Why Bug Zappers May Work in Some Circumstances
- They kill a lot of insects in a short period of time. If you try to use your porch one night and are overwhelmed by bugs, know that bug zapping will kill as many as 10,000 per night as soon as you set it up, a process that takes a few minutes.
- They attract with a light, not a pesticide. (Although some traps use attractants, such as Octenol.)
- They kill with electric grids, not pesticides or any other chemicals. They are not high-voltage items.
FAQs
Bug zappers will also work during the day, but an outdoor bug zapper is more effective at night when the light attracts bugs.
• In your yard, garden, or similar outdoor space
• At the edge of your property
• At least 15 feet from where anyone will gather
• Off the ground, 5 feetor higher
Since bug zappers use UV light to attract bugs, they can be used indoors to help with flying pest problems. Since an indoor bug zapper will not harm humans, you can even use them in a bedroom. But do keep them away from water.
Two studies by the University of Notre Dame* found no significant difference in the number of mosquitoes found in yards with or without electric bug zappers.
A Call to Action
If you want to make the effort to control mosquitoes, you can certainly buy a bug zapper and hang it as a do-it-yourself project. However, research shows that bug zappers are not effective for mosquito control. But if you have a problem with mosquitoes or with swarms of insects, you need to take action. Review the issue. Consult other homeowners. Make a plan. Follow it.
You should consider bringing in a professional. If you decide to do that, contact Pest Gnome to connect with a pro in your area.
Main Image Credit: ZooFari / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
