Technology

Advantages  

Disadvantages

Inhibitors - block the receptors of mosquitoes and other biting insects so they are unable to identify and track people and animals.

CONCEAL®

Blocks mosquitoes’ ability to track human scent

More convenient to use than DEET

Many times more effective than Citronella

Available in dispensers and candles

None

Repellents - smell bad and drive insects away.

Technology

Advantages  

Disadvantages

CITRONELLA

An essential oil of plants that is a mild insect repellent

Usually delivered via candles

Not very effective

Over time, wicks clog and become hard to light

Unregulated products to be pulled from European markets in 2006

DEET

DEET (N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is widely used to repel biting pests.

Available to the public in a variety of liquids, lotions, sprays, and impregnated materials (e.g., wrist bands).

Designed for direct application to human skin to repel insects

Effective when used as directed and reapplied frequently

Toxicity concerns, especially for young children

Unpleasant odor and oily feel discourage thorough application and reapplication as required

PESTICIDES

Delivered by sprays, foggers and smoking coils

Sprays are expensive, effective for only 2 - 4 hours, and indiscriminate -- they kill beneficial insects too.

Kill cold-blooded animals, e.g. fish and reptiles

In as few as 6 generations (two months under ideal conditions) surviving mosquitoes can build up resistance to a pesticide.

Attractant - smell better than people and animals and draw mosquitoes and other biting insects into traps.

Technology

Advantages  

Disadvantages

PROPANE

Burns to create CO₂

Readily available to consumers as bottled gas throughout the U.S.

Reasonable cost

Require continuous maintenance (lighting, replacing bottles, emptying nets)

Outside the U.S. CO₂ purity, pressure systems and efficiency vary widely. Impurities build-up can require regular cleaning.

Unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions limit use to outdoors only

Continuous unattended operation is discouraged by some fire prevention professionals.

Some greenhouse gases released into atmosphere

CO2

Very safe –  pure CO₂  is food grade gas and very effective in attracting insects

Readily available outside the U.S.

Bulk CO₂ is much less expensive than propane and readily available for commercial applications; bulk delivery eliminates handling chores

Long range attractant; unit can be positioned a good distance from people

CO₂ is recycled from the atmosphere

Bottled gas is more expensive than propane

Tanks weigh 60 lbs. and can be awkward to handle

OCTENOL

A livestock kairomone (host odor). Often used with CO₂ to lure insects into traps

Safe when used as directed

Harmless to non-target organisms

None

THERMAL
IMAGE

Temperature appears to be human blood under the skin, unlike waste heat

Mimics human blood temperature near skin

Proven very effective in combination with other attractants

None

ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

Enhances mosquito attraction when used with other attractants

Attracts all night flying insects to the vicinity

Difficult to trap all mosquitoes and not capture non-target insects

Mosquitoes see better under UV light and use it to locate prime breeding areas.

Without CO₂ and a thermal lure, zappers are almost useless against mosquitoes and kill thousands of beneficial insects each night.