Do Bug Zappers Work | Yes – possibly too well!
“Do these things even work?”
“Am I wasting my money?”
“How many bugs does a bug zapper even kill?”
“What bugs do bug zappers even kill?”
These are a few of the myriad of questions you’re likely to contemplate when deciding to buy one.
Bug zappers do, in fact, work VERY WELL. But, not as well as you might hope they do. Although they do kill a few mosquitos and other pests, they also kill a lot of harmless, and even, beneficial bugs!
Now you might be thinking: “the only beneficial bug is a dead bug.”
This may feel true, but practically a lot of bugs play a supportive role in our environment.
Bug Zappers Aren’t Killing The Right Insects
A study conducted by the University of Delaware tracked six residential bug zappers.
It did so over 10 weeks.
The university discovered that out of the 13 789 bugs killed in the traps:
Only 31 of them were biting flies.
That’s just 0.22 per cent!
The research found that bug zappers are doing a wonderful job, at butchering our bug populations.
Bug zappers kill a wide variety of insects. They could even kill bees, though this is quite uncommon.
Typically you’ll find they kill:
- Flies
- Mosquitoes
- Beetles
- Moths
- Ants
- Wasps
- Midges
And in fact:
Their death count also includes parasitic wasps who did a good enough job themselves controlling the pest population.
And many moths are also falling victim to these traps, and they’re pollen transporters.
(Yes, just like bees!)
Why Bug Zappers Might Not Work So Well
Studies done in Korea and Tanzania discovered something quite interesting about bug zappers.
Bug zappers may not be working as you might hope they would.
In fact, they may be attracting mosquitos to you!
This happens because although the UV light does a good job at attracting them:
It won’t keep their attention when humans are around.
The UV light works because a lot of insects actually use UV lights to detect sources of food.
But, mosquitos also use smell. Carbon dioxide emissions made by people attract them.
They’re also attracted to a chemical called octanol, found in human sweat and breath.
So between the unmoving UV light or the regularly moving smell-emitter:
They choose the latter.
Now, some bug zappers do emit carbon dioxide and octanol.
The issue is that they still cannot mimic the motions humans make.
Should I Buy One, Despite The Warnings?
Well, I wouldn’t recommend one if you’re just using it outdoors for things like family gatherings and the like.
Ideally:
Bug zappers are supposed to work by using these attractive chemicals and UV light.
When the bug passes through the zapper, it goes through the wires of the trap and completes the circuit.
This is when it completes the circuit, and the device makes a ZAP sound.
That’s how it’s supposed to work, but as you read earlier, it’s not that simple.
Bug zappers even work during wet seasons. (Did you know that you can get waterproof bug zappers?)
Indoors it might not be a bad idea to get a bug zapper as you don’t want bugs flying around the house anyway.
For outdoors, however, there are alternatives options.
Some Alternatives to Bug Zappers
Now:
I must repeat, I’m not saying that bug zappers aren’t good.
It’s just that they may not work as well as we hoped, and they come with some nasty side effects.
So, it’s good to explore some alternatives.
DEET
Reading this, it almost sounds like a car hooting.
No, loud noises will not work, I think.
DEET is the gold standard for the prevention of insect bites.
It’s an insect repellent that works for:
- Mosquitos
- Flies
- Ticks
- And many other invertebrates
It’s available in many stores under different brands.
And:
It’s safe for kids older than 2 months. Though you should apply it minimally.
And you should never apply it to their hands or face.
Try A Fan
I was blown away by this simple solution.
(Bad joke)
But really, mosquitos don’t fly very well in the wind.
So, leaving a fan on would be quite an effective deterrent.
Best yet, it doesn’t cost you anything aside from a minor increase in your electricity bill.
Citronella Oil
Depending on the concentration:
It may only be moderately effective at dissuading bugs from biting your skin.
It also only lasts a short while (somewhere around 2 hours) before evaporating from your skin.
But it’s worth a try, and it’s all-natural.
You could make a spray-on mixture for outside meals or your kid’s sports game.
Good Measures to Prevent Mosquitoes
I’ve mentioned mosquitos a lot because they’re the primary pest in our minds.
Not only do they breed excessively, but they also bite.
They cause itches, and can potentially transfer disease.
We’re even the sole proprietor of our own mosquito-borne disease here in Australia.
It’s known as the Barmah Forest virus.
So taking a few measures to prevent them from this excessive breeding is a good idea.
Mosquitos lay eggs in standing water, and it usually takes them several days to hatch.
The logic follows:
Intermittently throwing out water will reduce the mosquito population in your yard.
Mosquitos also hide in dense and shady plants.
So:
Doing some trimming won’t hurt either!
Are They Harmful To Me Or My Pets
Not particularly.
The only issue that might arise is that bugs quite literally explode when they’re zapped.
This means that the air around the trap becomes contaminated with all sorts of bacteria.
This could, technically, infect people or animals.
To prevent this, it’s best to keep your bug zapper away from food or where people congregate.
Ultimately, It’s Up To You
Whether you decide to get one or not is up to you.
From what I’ve learned, they’re not quite what they’re promised to be, and so:
Looking at alternatives is not a bad decision.
The bug zapper was patented back in 1934, and we’re in 2022 now (from the time of writing this article).
Times change, new information and research is done.
And we should adapt.
Primarily to using bug zappers in a smarter, and more environmentally friendly way.
That said, if you do opt to use one, they may work better during the night than the day.
This is for the simple fact that UV light isn’t as obvious to insects.
Best of luck!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do bug zappers really work on mosquitoes?
They can, and do, but not that well. Studies found that mosquitoes attracted actually shifted focus to people (when they were around) and opted for them instead. Once the mosquito is in the trap itself though, it’s a goner.
What kind of bugs does a bug zapper kill?
Here lies the issue with bug zappers. They don’t just kill the pests. They attract and kill a wide variety of bugs. Many of which are important for the environment as a whole.
Should I leave my bug zapper on all night?
It’s completely safe to do so. The only issue is that it’s killing both good and bad insects. It’s like the antibiotics of the pest control world. Many beetles, moths, and ants die unnecessarily to these devices.
