Ahhh summer! When you live in a place like Cedar Rapids, IA, where snow piles up during winter (when you daydream about any season other than winter), you want to make the most of the months when you can extend your living space. beyond your exterior. walls.

If you have a problem with mosquitoes, that can be very difficult. I have found myself outside on beautiful summer afternoons, with the citronella feather floating (not that I like the smell), determined to enjoy the outside, but finally exclaiming “Oh, forget it!” At that point, I’d collect my belongings, visitors, and snacks (or whatever), and go back inside. At some point, if you can’t get rid of the bugs that are trying to make you dinner, a good deck party turns into a pittance stamina, and it’s clearly not worth it.

To avoid wasting money and more summer fun, I researched products to help one get rid of backyard mosquitoes. I discovered some things that I would like to share.

I’m sure you know that there are about a trillion different types of mosquitoes, and they can spread diseases like West Nile virus, EEE, malaria, as well as give some pretty nasty bites and generally annoy the doodie. of us.

But for those of us in the United States, it breaks down into the generic mosquito and the Asian tiger mosquito. (I’ll tell you more about that differentiation in a little bit.)

Mosquitoes are attracted to humans due to the release of carbon dioxide from our breath, the lactic acid in our sweat, and the heat we put off. They are not attracted to bug lights, white or black, so bug zappers alone will only hit mosquitoes that have unfortunately gone that way.

But when you use the Octenol lure (a chemical contained in human breath and sweat that attracts biting insects like most species of mosquitoes) in combination with your light bulb zapper, you can target, conquer, and win back your real estate. .

Why should you care what kind of mosquito is bothering you? The Asian tiger mosquito is best attracted to a lure called Lurex, which is a specially formulated attractant made from natural compounds that simulate human sweat. Lurex was specifically designed to attack Asian tiger mosquitoes. In studies, Lurex outperformed Octenol in eradicating almost 3 times the number of Asian tiger mosquitoes.

In my research on mosquitoes and searching for the best bulb light zapper, I found that most bug zappers only come with the Octenol lure. I saw a zapper (from the two most popular brands I researched) that came with a lure called the 2-in-1 Powerbait from Stinger. It has both octenol and lactic acid. 2 in 1 would normally sound great to me (a double whammie), but I couldn’t find evidence that it is effective. If it were, I would expect to see it more commercialized.

I compared several models of the two most popular brands of bug killers, Stinger and Flowtron. I looked at coverage, wattage, bulb type, recurring costs (bulbs and decoys), any special features, warranty, upfront cost.

Based on the variables above, and also weighted heavily by numerous consumer reviews, I believe that Flowtron offers the more reliable and durable bulb light zapper of the two.

Of the Flowtron models, I prefer the BK-80D, both for the power to better disintegrate insects on contact with the power grid, and for the 1.5 acres it covers. There are many reviews stating that clogging can be an issue with brands, but there were some compelling comments suggesting that higher horsepower models experienced fewer issues with this.

Both brands recommend a new octinol lure every month and UV bulb replacement annually. Both brands have short cords and will, in most circumstances, require a suitable extension cord. Stinger has a model that is rechargeable and runs for 3.5 hours on a 3 hour recharge.

If your region is plagued by the Asian tiger mosquito (primarily in the southern states of the US), you may want to check out traps that offer lurex lures, such as Mosquito Magnet and Skeeter Vac. These are significantly more expensive than a bulb light zapper, but they can make a difference in whether you can enjoy your home from both the outside and the inside.

I tried to find a lurex lure that was offered in the same type of packaging as octenol, thinking it would be worth a try with an insect killer. I came up short on that search, I only found specific cartridges for their mosquito traps. (Remember … there is the 2-in-1 Powerbait mentioned above.)

I hope my review saves you some time that you could better spend outside!

Enjoy your summer and thanks for reading.