Bug Zappers – Pros and Cons
It’s that time of year again – the time when we look to take back our yard and enjoy all it has to offer. But pests, mostly those pesky flying creatures, keep us from fully enjoying our deck, barbeque, pool and a host of other backyard activities. Perhaps you have considered purchasing a bug zapper in the past, but were hesitant. How does it work? What pests does it work on? What kind should I get? All great questions! Here is some helpful information to help you decide between the pros and cons of bug zappers and decide if it is for you and your yard.
The most common question is, what is a bug zapper and how does it work. The short answer is, a bug zapper is a device that attracts flying insects and kills them. In more detail, bug zappers have been in existence since 1911, but believed to be too expensive to be of practical use. Things have changed since then! Today, these electronic contraptions are a must for many backyards.
Originally called the electrical discharge insect control system, the bug zapper attracts flying insects that are attracted to it’s light. Once these flying pests are attracted to the light, they are then “zapped” or electrocuted. Based on this, there are several drawbacks (or cons) to the bug zapper – first, the ultraviolet light will attract many flying insects, even ones that are needed in the environment, therefore many beneficial flying insects are killed. Second, when the insect is electrocuted, it ejects the remains of the insect into the air, creating a dead bug mist. Therefore, it is important that these bug zappers are not in areas where dead bug mist will settle onto people or areas you spend a lot of time in.
Now that you understand how the bug zapper works, it is important to understand what types of insects it will work on. The bug zapper is non-discriminatory. It will zap or kill anything that flies in! The biggest problem (or con) is that it mainly attracts flying insects that are non-biting, such as flies, beetles, fireflies, and moths. While many of these species can be annoying, most do not bite humans, and many of them are beneficial for removing those pests we do not want around. The flying pests that most people are trying to eliminate are mosquitoes and gnats, which the traditional bug zapper does not attract (a con). Recently, some manufactures of bug zappers have added Octenol, which is a non-toxic chemical that is emitted by the device and does attract mosquitoes (a pro). When shopping for your bug zapper, keep this in mind. Depending on the type of flying pests you wish to eradicate, you may need to get a zapper with this added feature.
Many people have put off purchasing a bug zapper, simply because they are concerned about what kind to get and how safe they will be around their children and pets. In addition, many do not want to spend countless hours maintaining their bug zapper or find that it is too difficult to even install. Let’s review five of the top bug zappers available today:
• The Executioner is a hand held device that looks similar to a tennis racket. While it is claimed to work on all bug types (pro), it requires you to manually “swat” at the bugs to kill them (con). It operates on two AA batteries and is portable, so you can take with you wherever you go (pro), however, it may seem like a toy to a child – so keep it out of their reach!
• The Black Flag BZ-40 is the entry level outdoor bug zapper for those that want protection without a steep price (pro). This zapper uses a 40 watt bulb that is not too overbearing and less costly for your electric bill, but provides adequate protection (pro). In addition, this zapper does have the built-in octenol to lure in those gnats and mosquitoes (pro). The only downside is the smell – do not put too close to your living area, as it gives of some unpleasant smells (con).
• The Flowtron Programmable Insect Killer is considered the gold standard for bug zappers. This zapper will cover approximately one acre of land (pro), and is available in different sizes depending on the coverage you need. One great feature of this zapper is that it is programmable (pro). This will allow you to determine when it will run, to conserve energy. It can accommodate most bugs (pro), however, it is fairly loud when a bug is zapped (con). It is best to place this zapper well away from your living area.
• The Westinghouse Solar Bug Killers are solar powered (pro), which will allow you to place these out of outlet range. These zappers are small but powerful, providing protection for up to 400 feet (pro). They also contain both the UV light and a standard LED light. You can switch the lamp modes (pro). Unfortunately, these zappers will not attract mosquitoes or gnats (con) and they are not completely waterproof (con), so be careful where you place them.
• The Flowtron FC-8800 Diplomat is perfect for those with huge backyards. This zapper will cover two acres (pro) and with the 120 watt bulb will attract just about every flying creature there is (pro and con). While the size of the zapper is quite large (con), it is easy to install and empty the collection tray (pro). In addition, this zapper, despite its massive size, is not too loud (pro).
While there are many products available on the market today to rid your yard of those unwanted pests, if you consider a bug zapper, remember this important information before choosing.
As for me?
I prefer my “protective cloud” made of essential oils. (Created from my cordless, rechargeable diffuser.)