How Much Does A Bug Zapper Hurt (+ Can They Hurt My Dog?)
Bug Zappers.
Hate em’ or love em’, they’re not going anywhere.
High sales numbers continue to persist year after year.
And companies continue to profit.
So, we’re likely to keep seeing them around.
In fact, you might even have a bug zapper actively zapping away outside.
You might wonder a few things:
“Does touching a bug zapper hurt?”
“Can a bug zapper hurt a human?”
“And more importantly, can a bug zapper kill a human?”
Well to the last question I say, no it can’t. Although bug zappers do generate anywhere from 2000 to 4000 volts. This doesn’t mean that they’re dangerous. How dangerous a shock is, isn’t determined by the voltage, but by the amps. Bug zappers use much fewer amps.
But of course, it’s a bit more complicated than that. You also have to factor in things like:
- Resistance (for example, wet skin is less resistant.)
- Frequency
- Duration
We don’t need to get into the science of it.
The point is, it’s completely harmless in the majority of cases.
And many models have a protective cover to prevent shocks, anyways.
There’s never been a case of death by a bug zapper.
So you, and your kids, are safe.
(Unless, of course, you’ve made your own supersized bug death ray.)
But, Is It Painful?
Does a bug zapper hurt? The short answer is yes.
The long answer is: it depends on your pain tolerance.
As we’ve already determined, the shocks aren’t severe and are highly unlikely to injure you.
At worst, you may burn your skin if you repeatedly shock yourself.
However, on the more subjective side, the shocks can be a bit uncomfortable.
You don’t want to be shocked by one.
These bug zappers are designed to kill living beings, albeit very small ones.
But ultimately, they don’t hurt that much, and the pain is very short-lived.
Are There Any Other Risks?
Yes.
Bug zappers are known bacteria spreaders.
Keeping these devices in areas where you eat or where people congregate is not recommended.
They quite literally EXPLODE insects.
Although harmless to use, 2 amps is a life-ending death sentence for a bug.
When this happens any disease-carrying bacteria they might have in them is spread all around the device.
Imagine having one hung right above a dinner table? This sounds like a recipe for sickness.
For best practice: Keep the device a decent distance away from people, food, and animals.
These Traps Might Also Bring Bugs To You!
Yes, you read that right:
The traps designed to kill bugs and keep them from biting you might actually play a role in getting them to you.
Studies have found that mosquitos are initially attracted to UV light.
But:
Once close enough, they immediately move to the smell-emitting and rapidly moving humans in the vicinity.
Seems counterproductive, doesn’t it?
What About UV Light Radiation?
A study done in 2016 found that the light radiation from bug zappers was completely inconsequential.
The study replicated extreme exposure scenarios.
It found that even if you’re close to the units for long periods, there’s no danger at all in terms of UV light exposure.
Do I Have To Worry About My Animals?
Aside from the bacteria exposure I mentioned earlier, no.
The worst that can happen is that your dog or cat ends up a little frightened by the noise.
It’s nothing to worry about.
But so that that doesn’t happen, you would do well to keep the bug trap in out of reach places.
A Simple Alternative To Bug Zappers
If the idea of exploding bugs is a bit disturbing to you:
(Don’t worry, me too.)
Then you might want to consider glue traps.
These traps use the same chemicals and light to attract insects.
But, instead of exploding them, the bugs are simply lured into a glue trap.
They get stuck here and eventually die.
The upside to this:
No more bug guts everywhere!
And they’re completely safe to use in any area, including your kitchen.
Final Thoughts
Bug zappers are harmless aside from being potential spreaders of disease.
But that can easily be resolved by just keeping them quite a distance away.
Remember, they were designed to kill targets much smaller than you are.
So don’t worry, it might hurt, it might even burn you, but it definitely can’t kill you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you hurt yourself with a bug zapper?
It may hurt, but the worst that you could do is burn your skin. Bug zappers are meant to kill insects like flies that only weigh a couple of milograms. The average human weighs around 65 kilograms.
How powerful is a bug zapper?
Concerning insects, extremely powerful. So powerful in fact, that when an insect crosses through one and completes the circuit, it literally explodes. In relation to a human, not powerful at all.
Are bug zappers dangerous to humans?
Not at all. The shock that they cause is extremely mild and momentary. Humans have nothing to worry about when it comes to these devices.
