![]() Insects are lured into a high voltage electrical wire mesh grid where they are electrocuted with an ultraviolet light bulb. How Do Bug Zappers Work?ĭespite the fact that insect zapping machines have improved significantly in terms of safety and bug luring potential, they are essentially unchanged. The buzzing sound made by the device when electrocuting a bug gives it its name. ![]() Insects that are attracted to ultraviolet light are the most vulnerable to bug zappers. They use an electric shock to kill the insects. Bug zappers are devices that use ultraviolet light to attract insects and then zap them. There you have it! Everything you need to know about how bug zappers work.įor more tips, tricks, and products, check out can’t stand it and get sick when they come into contact with bug zappers. When deciding where to place, keep it ten to 14 feet away from human activity. You can get a lantern zapper that looks like a normal outside light but is deadly to insects! They come in different ornamental designs to blend in and are easy to clean. Outdoor zappers are the most common zappers, though. Light bulb zappers are a convenient option, as well as socket bug zappers. There are some indoor models that come in minimalist designs that resemble a small vase or humidifier. If placed inside, keep away from any food prepping or eating areas as the insects can spray a fine mist once electrocuted that can contaminate the air around the zapper. Indoor zappers come in many shapes and sizes and can cover your whole living or cooking space. You can purchase bug zappers for indoor and outdoor spaces. Putting this near a zapper will increase the efficacy of it against them. This lure matches what is contained in human breath and sweat, making mosquitoes flock to it. Mosquitoes are drawn to the flesh, so some people use an Octenol lure to trap mosquitoes. Moths and other flies and gnats have positive phototaxis, evidenced by how they swarm to any outside light. This can be positive, meaning it draws organisms in, or negative, meaning it repels them away.Ĭockroaches have negative phototaxis, evidenced by how they scatter when the lights are turned on. Phototaxis is the ability of organisms to move directionally in response to light. Something called phototaxis can either draw or repel certain bugs to your zapper. It’s since become the model for all future bug zappers.īug zappers’ efficacy can be measured by what kind of bugs you are trying to kill. Hems was a professor of parasitology at the University of California and was working on a commercial insect trap for over twenty years to help with the protection of the fruit industry. This early model was only 450 volts, and users were supposed to bait the interior with meat!Ī separate gentleman by the name of William Brodbeck Hems was also working on a similar device around the same time. Much like similar models today, the bulbs were surrounded by a grid with wires spaced apart. The original device was 10x15” and used five incandescent light bulbs to attract bugs. Unfortunately, this model was deemed too expensive to be practically used by the masses. Folmer and Harrison Chapin registered a patent for the first bug zapper. Before that, people were just at the whim of any insect that entered their airspace. The earliest record of insect repellent being sold was in 1911. Bug zappers have become perhaps the best way to deal with insects on your property. More recently, due to advances in technology, a more efficient and sustainable solution to outdoor pest control came in the form of a bug zapper.Īlso known as electronic insect-control system or electrical-discharge insect-control system, these devices make use of ultraviolet light and electrocution. The main defense was a biological one that relied on using other animals like frogs and toads as natural predators to kill the small insects.Īfter a while, bug repellant became a common counterattack to discourage insect infestation. In the olden days, before pest control was a booming industry, people had to rely on more primitive methods of clearing their surroundings of pests. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for you to start swatting away at the mosquitos and gnats gnawing at your arms and ankles. Whether you are doing some black lawn camping, hosting a barbecue, or just enjoying the outdoors after a hard day’s work, there’s nothing better than spending time with family or friends out back in the wide expanses of your yard.
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