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Gimme a Bug Light

Bug Zappers Zap Your Wallet, Not Your Pests

The following was posted on our mg-maricopa mail list by Roberta Gibson,
Entomologist at the University of AZ Coopeative Extension.  FYI.

Olin Miller <millero@worldnet.att.net>


"You've seen the purplish glow and heard the zap, zap,zap as bugs hit a
bug
zapper light trap.  Seems like an easy and satisfying way to get rid of
insects, right?  Entomologists have found that these high profile traps
are
susless at best and may actually create more problems than they solve.

"These traps are supposedly good for killing mosquitoes and biting
flies.
Wrong!  Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide produced by
animals
and people, not to purple light.  In one study researchers examined six
electric traps for 10 weeks and of 13,789 bugs fried during that time,
only
18 were mosquitoes.  Most of the carcasses were beneficial insects such
as
green lacewings that feed on insect pests in your garden.  So, if you
have
a bug zapper in your yard, your garden may actually have more aphids and
caterpillars."


Courtesy of Roberta Gibson, Research Specialist, University of Arizona,
Maricopa Research Center.
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