Google’s Verily Debug project has applied for EPA approval to release up to 32 million lab-reared male mosquitoes in parts of California and Florida. The plan involves two years of releases with 16 million males per year per state across up to 800 acres each. These mosquitoes carry the naturally occurring bacterium Wolbachia pipientis. The goal […]
Snap! Crackle! Pop! Electric bug zappers are useless for controlling mosquitoes
If mosquitoes and other insects are taking a bite out of your summer fun, don’t bother with one of those electric bug zappers, says a University of Florida pest control expert. “They are a total waste of money. Bug zappers will not control mosquitoes or other biting insects such as horseflies, dogflies or deerflies,” said […]
Catnip Repels Mosquitoes More Effectively Than DEET
Researchers report that nepetalactone, the essential oil in catnip that gives the plant its characteristic odor, is about ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET — the compound used in most commercial insect repellents. The finding was reported today at the 222nd national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific […]