Even products with 4 + star reviews were scientifically proven not to work
And these are products you’ll find on the first page of Amazon when you search “mosquito”.
Myth #1 – Citronella Candles
Citronella candles were found to be ineffective against mosquitoes.
Citronella Candles don’t stop mosquitoes from biting.
While oil of citronella is known to help repel mosquitoes… the concentration put off by candles, isn’t enough to protect you from them.
Consumers think that just because a product is out there, it will protect you. That’s just not true. It’s buyer beware when it comes to these things. Especially with Zika around.
Source: Anti-Mosquito Candles Totally Don’t Work, Gizmodo.
Stacy Rodriguez New Mexico State University Entomologist
New Mexico State University Logo photo from Flickr.
Tiki torches also fall under this myth…
Myth #2 – Mosquito “Repellent” Bands
Mosquito repellent wrist bands haven’t been found to help prevent mosquito bites.
Mosquito Repellent Wristbands had a similar result to the citronella candles. Some studies have shown that bites can be less frequent right next to the wristband… but they did not provide you very good protection.
The FTC even charged a company selling mosquito wristbands with deceptive marketing tactics. Their products lacked any proven results.
The defendants said that their wristbands would protect you from mosquito bites, but their claims weren’t backed up by scientific evidence.
Jessica Rich
Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection
FTC Building photo from Flickr.
Myth #3 – Bug Zappers
A study conducted by University of Delaware found that less than 0.3% of insects found in bug zappers were biting gnats or mosquitoes.
The sounds of bugs being zapped can be satisfying, but most of them won’t bite you.
[The Bug Zapper] is a totally useless device.Source: New York Times.
Dr. Douglas Tallamy
University of Delaware
So… What Works?
Experts recommend layering strategies since no mosquito solution is going to be 100% effective.
The problems you can encounter with that is is…
- Some solutions only work for specific types of environments
- Some solutions can work against each other
People have just got to understand that there’s no easy solution to this whole thing.
Source: The Wire Cutter.
Joe Conlon
American Mosquito Control Association
What Will Protect Your Kids?
Unfortunately, you can’t rely on online reviews to determine if something will work for your yard…
Same Product, Different Results
This person was very happy with the results.
This person was very unhappy with the results.
You can’t take internet testimonials at face value. Period.
Source: The Wire Cutter.
Joe Conlon
American Mosquito Control Association
This product can work wonders, but you need to have the right type of yard for it to provide any type of protection for you and your family.
