The Washington Post: Trying to kill mosquitoes? Don’t buy a bug zapper.

Understand what works to get rid of mosquitoes.

The Washington Post: Trying to kill mosquitoes? Don’t buy a bug zapper.

Last updated:
September 15, 2023
|  5 min read
Video: Rafael Varona for The Washington Post

The Washington Post: Trying to kill mosquitoes? Don’t buy a bug zapper.

The Washington Post: Trying to kill mosquitoes? Don’t buy a bug zapper.

YouTube video highlight

Understand what works to get rid of mosquitoes.

Watch video

The Washington Post: Trying to kill mosquitoes? Don’t buy a bug zapper.

Thumbnail Slider Image
No items found.

Trying to kill mosquitoes? Don’t buy a bug zapper.

Every night, a mass murderer stalks the darkness of America’s suburbs. An eerie blue glow lures hapless victims from their homes. The doomed souls, mesmerized by the light, throng to their deaths in sizzling blasts of electricity.

I’m talking about the bug zapper. Many people use the device to rid themselves of mosquitoes and other pests. “Kill flies, mosquitoes, gnats, and wasps,” touts Black and Decker. Flowtron will help eliminate flying pests over up to “2 acres” for just $315. Another advertises itself as an “eco-friendly” way to “instantly kill” mosquitoes.

The problem? None of these claims are true, scientists say. In fact, bug zappers make it more likely you’ll be bitten by mosquitoes while sitting in your backyard.

“When it comes to mosquitoes, bug zappers don’t work,” says James Fordyce, an entomologist at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. “I don’t know any insect ecologist that doesn’t know that.”

Bug zappers are exceptional killers of bugs — just not the ones that bite you. Among the thousands of insects these devices electrocute each night, almost all are harmless. One study estimated even a fraction of the bug zappers sold in the United States kill more than 70 billion insects annually — with no discernible impact on mosquitoes or other biting insects. This pointless slaughter of local insect populations may be hastening the decline of species, the insect apocalypse.

I talked to experts about why bug zappers are a really bad idea to get rid of mosquitoes — and what works instead.

Find the full article & Advice by Michael J. Coren here.

The Washington Post: Trying to kill mosquitoes? Don’t buy a bug zapper.

Trying to kill mosquitoes? Don’t buy a bug zapper.

Every night, a mass murderer stalks the darkness of America’s suburbs. An eerie blue glow lures hapless victims from their homes. The doomed souls, mesmerized by the light, throng to their deaths in sizzling blasts of electricity.

I’m talking about the bug zapper. Many people use the device to rid themselves of mosquitoes and other pests. “Kill flies, mosquitoes, gnats, and wasps,” touts Black and Decker. Flowtron will help eliminate flying pests over up to “2 acres” for just $315. Another advertises itself as an “eco-friendly” way to “instantly kill” mosquitoes.

The problem? None of these claims are true, scientists say. In fact, bug zappers make it more likely you’ll be bitten by mosquitoes while sitting in your backyard.

“When it comes to mosquitoes, bug zappers don’t work,” says James Fordyce, an entomologist at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. “I don’t know any insect ecologist that doesn’t know that.”

Bug zappers are exceptional killers of bugs — just not the ones that bite you. Among the thousands of insects these devices electrocute each night, almost all are harmless. One study estimated even a fraction of the bug zappers sold in the United States kill more than 70 billion insects annually — with no discernible impact on mosquitoes or other biting insects. This pointless slaughter of local insect populations may be hastening the decline of species, the insect apocalypse.

I talked to experts about why bug zappers are a really bad idea to get rid of mosquitoes — and what works instead.

Find the full article & Advice by Michael J. Coren here.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Media Mentions from The Washington Post
The Washington Post
Our award-winning journalists have covered Washington and the world since 1877.
Media Mentions

The Washington Post: Trying to kill mosquitoes? Don’t buy a bug zapper.

Trying to kill mosquitoes? Don’t buy a bug zapper.

Every night, a mass murderer stalks the darkness of America’s suburbs. An eerie blue glow lures hapless victims from their homes. The doomed souls, mesmerized by the light, throng to their deaths in sizzling blasts of electricity.

I’m talking about the bug zapper. Many people use the device to rid themselves of mosquitoes and other pests. “Kill flies, mosquitoes, gnats, and wasps,” touts Black and Decker. Flowtron will help eliminate flying pests over up to “2 acres” for just $315. Another advertises itself as an “eco-friendly” way to “instantly kill” mosquitoes.

The problem? None of these claims are true, scientists say. In fact, bug zappers make it more likely you’ll be bitten by mosquitoes while sitting in your backyard.

“When it comes to mosquitoes, bug zappers don’t work,” says James Fordyce, an entomologist at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. “I don’t know any insect ecologist that doesn’t know that.”

Bug zappers are exceptional killers of bugs — just not the ones that bite you. Among the thousands of insects these devices electrocute each night, almost all are harmless. One study estimated even a fraction of the bug zappers sold in the United States kill more than 70 billion insects annually — with no discernible impact on mosquitoes or other biting insects. This pointless slaughter of local insect populations may be hastening the decline of species, the insect apocalypse.

I talked to experts about why bug zappers are a really bad idea to get rid of mosquitoes — and what works instead.

Find the full article & Advice by Michael J. Coren here.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Media Mentions from The Washington Post
The Washington Post
Our award-winning journalists have covered Washington and the world since 1877.
Media Mentions
browse all articles
Here at Sawyer
September 27, 2021
6 Min
Down East: Ultra-Athlete Katie Spotz Bikes 360 Miles Across Maine
Read More

Media Mentions

We’ve used this filter for over 800 miles in the backcountry and it’s still the best option for clean drinking water.

Brett Kretzer
Brett Kretzer
Adventurer. Writer. Creator.

Media Mentions

Squeeze Water Filtration System by Sawyer

Garage Grown Gear
Media Mentions from Garage Grown Gear

Media Mentions

This popular repellent from Sawyer has 20% Picaridin, which protects against a wide range of insects, including mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, gnats, chiggers and sand flies.

Amylia Ryan
Associate Editor
<<  Previous Post
No previous post!
Check out our Directory
Next Post  >>
No next post!
Check out our Directory