Do Bug Zappers really work?
Although bug zappers have been in used for decades, recent studies have questioned their effectiveness. In 1994, Timothy Frick and Douglas Tallamy identified the kills from six bug zappers placed at various sites around suburban Newark, Delaware. Nearly 14,000 insects that were electrocuted and counted, 31 of them (0.22%) were mosquitoes and biting gnats. That majority (6,670 or 48%) were aquatic insects from nearby streams, rivers and midges that are completely harmless. In their 1996 report, Frick and Tallamy claimed that this mass killing of certain species harmless insects harm the ecosystems. There is another report by researches at Kansas State that made a case that bug zappers do more harm than good. According to this report, when bug zappers electrocute insects, a shower of microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria are showered into the surrounding area. The researchers recommend not using bug zappers in areas where food is handled, around medical facilities or around dayc
