Controlling Bugs

While the weather is still cool soon it will be time to consider insect control for those pesky insects like mosquitoes and the damaging insects in the garden. In many urban residential areas folks turn to using an electric bug zapper. The premise is the insects are drawn towards the light then are electrocuted effectively serving as insect control. However, bug zappers are one of the worst things you can use for controlling insects in your yard or garden. Why? Bug zappers simply are not an eco-friendly approach to insect management.

1. The light from bug zappers actually draw more bugs to it than you would normally have.
   
2. Bug zappers use electricity the entire time they are on. When every kWh counts they are a wasteful use of electricity.
3. Bug zappers do not discriminate between beneficial and harmful insects. In one evening they can easily kill off a number of beneficial insects. In one single evening a bug zapper can lure and kill 10,000 insects, most of them not damaging insects.
   
4. Despite the claims and the reason many people use bug zappers, mosquitoes are not attracted to the ultraviolet lit used in these devices.
   
5. Most people will leave bug zappers running all night. This has to be one of the most annoying aspects of these lamps especially if you like to sleep with an open window but instead of hearing the wonderful night sounds all you hear is the zitz, zap, zitz from your neighbour's bug zapper.
6. Bug zappers are ineffective. Sure they kill bugs when on but they offer no permanent or effective solution.
7. Bug zappers are ineffective during daylight hours making them a poor choice for protecting a garden or yard against insects that do their damage during full daylight, dawn and dusk.
8. Bug zappers reduce the food source for natural predators such as centipedes, spiders, bats and insect eating birds like Purple Martins.
9. Bug zappers disrupt the disrupt the natural biodiversity of your yard creating the potential for further insect problems by reducing natural insect predators.
10. Bug zappers cost in the $40 or more range, cost in terms of maintenance and electricity use all of which can be avoided by using natural insect control methods.
    

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010