Unfortunately, mosquitos and other bugs are as fond of the summer sun as we are. Depending on where you live, you may have to deal with the increased presence of insects until the end of October. But how can you protect yourself against them, and which electric insect repellents are worth investing in? Here, we explain how to effectively combat pests.
In recent years, the number of insects has increased significantly. Our love of outdoor holidays and being at one with nature, and the subsequent revival of camping holidays, puts us more at risk. Many of you will know of the unpleasant sting and itching sensation when insects have bitten your arms and legs. But we need to try to avoid spraying them with chemicals; many of them harm animals that play an important ecological function in nature. The good news, is that with the help of various technologies, there are many devices to protect you.
Whether using sound waves or ultraviolet light, these repellents only need one socket to operate. They are as simple as they are reliable and usually only cost a few pounds, definitely worth it for the peace of mind at night.
Blue light insect repellents
Most cheaper electric insect destroyers work with blue light, such as the OL IV 250, fastened by a hanging ring.
The blue light clears the vicinity of flying insects, such as mosquitos and flies, up to around 30 square metres. When they touch the live electrode, the insects are destroyed at a grid voltage of 650-700V. No chemicals are involved, meaning no fumes or odours. This is a great advantage over mosquito sprays and other chemicals, particularly in bedrooms.
UV insect repellents
The Insect Annihialator TEV 62306 is fairly similar, however uses UV light.
A 4w UV lamp produces light which is invisible to the human eye, but quite the display for insects. Common flying insects such as mosquitoes, crane flies, moths or wasps are lured in by the UV lamp, where they are eradicated by the high voltage grid. The model is effective to a radius of 20 square metres – enough for a mosquito-free bedroom or camping tent.
Insect repellents with high frequency
Insects react not only to light, but also to high-frequency sound waves. An advantage of this is that the frequency is so high that humans can’t hear it.
To do this, you can select a frequency between 7 kHz to 23 kHz – depending on the pest. Mice and rats flee at 10 kHz, whereas cockroaches and martens avoid the frequency range of 12 kHz. Dogs are not usually affected, as they only hear frequencies between 15 to 50 kHz.
Ultrasound against spiders
Can you see a spider staring at you from the drainpipe? The GARDIGO electric spider repellent is the one for you.
The compact device connects directly to the socket and is the size of a normal plug. There, the unit produces audible tones of 27 kHz. Spiders are repelled at this frequency, unlikely to return to the area.
Photo credit: Fotolia
