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Hand-held electronic devices that rely on high-frequency sound to repel mosquitoes have
become surprisingly popular in recent years. Prices range from $9.95 to $29.95 for
units advertised in magazines. Heavy-duty repellers that claim to keep away spiders,
hornets, and rats, in addition to mosquitoes may sell for more than $100.00. The
manufacturer's rationale for using sound as a repelling factor varies from one device to
next. Some claim to mimic the wing beat frequency of a male mosquito. This,
supposedly, repels females who have already mated and do not wish to be mated a second
time. Others claim to mimic the sound of a hungry dragonfly, causing mosquitoes to
flee the area to avoid becoming the predator's next meal. Most of the electronic
repellers on the market hum on a single frequency. Top of the line devices allow for
adjustment by the user to achieve the most effective frequency for the mosquito causing
the problem. Scientific studies have repeatedly shown that electronic mosquito
repellers do not prevent host seeking mosquitoes from biting. In most cases, the
claims made by distributors border on fraud. Mated female mosquitoes do not flee
from amorous males, and mosquitoes do not vacate an area hunted by dragonflies.
Electronic mosquito repellers do little in the way of reducing mosquito annoyance.
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The Citrosa plant is a genetically engineered houseplant created by incorporating
tissue cultures of the grass that produces citronella oil into hybrid varieties of
geranium to produce a cultivar that emits a citronella aroma. Citronella oil is
known to have mosquito-repelling properties, and the concept of allowing a plant to emit a
barrier of repellent vapor appears sound. Unfortunately, the claims made by the
distributors have not stood up to scientific testing. Tests conducted in Florida
indicated that Citrosa plants did not reduce the number of bites received by test
subjects. Moreover, mosquitoes landed freely in the leaves indicating that the plant
does not emit enough citronella oil to repel the insects. Crushing the leaf and
rubbing it into the skin did not keep mosquitoes from biting and mixing the leaves into
slurry did not help. The idea of engineering a plant with mosquito repelling
properties should be encouraged. Advertising and selling that plant before its
effectiveness is documented takes advantage of American consumer.
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Electrocuting devices, popularly known as the Bug Zappers, are the
most popular device on the market for reducing mosquitoes around the home. Most rely
on the ultraviolet light to draw insects through an electrified wire grid. A
resounding pop followed by a series of sizzling sounds signals the homeowner that an
insect has passed through the electrocuting device. Most homeowners keep the machine
on a timer that turns the units off during daylight hours, but some run the traps day and
night during summer season. Unfortunately, Bug zappers are not
selective and kill a lot of beneficial insects.
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Every so often, a well-meaning conservation group promotes bats to eliminate mosquitoes
from areas where nuisance has become intolerable. This undoubtedly leads to
rediscovery of research conducted in the 1950s indicating that bats released in a room
filled with mosquitoes could catch up to 10 mosquitoes per minute. The research was
conducted to measure the effectiveness of echolocation in insectivorous bat species.
The results have been extrapolated to suggest that wild bats can consume 600 mosquitoes
per hour. Using that figure, a colony of 500 bats will remove 250,000 mosquitoes
each hour and theoretically afford mosquito control for an entire neighborhood.
Research since that time has shown that insectivorous bats are opportunistic feeders and
that mosquitoes make up a very small percentage of their natural diet. Bats'
behavior when locked in a room with nothing to feed upon but mosquitoes has no bearing
their behavior in the wild. Bats feed on the same insets that turn up in bug zappers
and are no more effective for controlling mosquitoes than their electronic
equivalent. Providing habitat to enhance bat populations is an admirable activity
for conversation purposes. Using mosquito control as the reason to initiate public
interest is misleading at best.
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The average person truly believes that Purple Martins control mosquitoes. No
other form of biological control has been so broadly publicized, and the concept of using
a colonial bird is easy to accept. Purple Martins are lovely birds and having a
colony nearby is educational and aesthetic. Purple Martins, however, do not control
mosquitoes and should not be propagated if eliminating mosquitoes is the central
issue. Proponents of the Purple Martin cite the oft-quoted statement that a Purple
Martin will eat 2,000 mosquitoes a day and up to 14,000 when the insects are extremely
plentiful. The quote is based on an anecdotal account in the literature that was
based on body weight of the bird and the number of mosquitoes that would be required to
sustain its metabolism. Most ornithologists realize that mosquitoes form an
insignificant portion of the Purple Martin's diet and would agree that the birds play a
limited role controlling mosquito populations. If mosquitoes are plentiful, the
birds will feed on them, but an adult Purple Martin that is foraging in mosquito territory
will accept a dragonfly in place of a mosquito without hesitation. Purple Martins,
as well as other insectivorous birds, should be encouraged to nest and be provided with
housing whenever possible. Do not, however, believe that the birds will
significantly diminish mosquito populations in your community. The manufacturers of
Purple Martin houses cite mosquito control potential for their own economic gains.
The birds do not need this hoax to retain public acceptance.
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There are products on the market that will provide relief from mosquito attack.
Commercial repellents that contain DEET can be highly effective for short periods.
Many people, however, dislike the oily consistency or object because of health concerns
connected with the product. Products that rely on fragrance to repel mosquitoes show
considerable promise and have been under intense investigation since the Avon product,
Skin-So-Soft showed proven repellent properties. Predacious fish feed on the
immature stages of mosquitoes and extremely efficient in terms of control. In salt
marsh areas, native killifish can be managed to eliminate mosquitoes from some types of
marshland. In upland areas, pond-raised mosquito fish can be stocked to eliminate
mosquitoes.
Use Bacillus
thuringensis to treat mosquito ridden swamps, ditches, creeks and ponds in your area
and watch the population of mosquitoes fall. You can even pre-treat areas known to
flood by staking down a briquette every 100 square feet
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