[pct-l] Re: Mosquito Repellers

[PCTResearch <pctresearch@pcthiker.com>]

I had not heard of the dragonfly mosquito repeller yet, but am aware of an
electronic mosquito repeller that mimicked the buzz of a male mosquito. It
worked on the principal that only impregnated female mosquitoes seek out a
blood meal prior to laying her eggs. Seeing a male mosquito's only purpose
is to copulate with as many females in sight before his energy reserves are
exhausted (think about this for a bit), it would not be advantageous to an
impregnated female to be delayed from her blood meal by a swarm of
copulating males. The makers of this repeller assumed the buzz sound of a
male mosquito was the trigger for an impregnated female to go the other way.
I think they based their reasoning on poor assumptions, failing to take into
account the mosquito's use of pheromones as environmental cues. DEET works
on the same principal and does a good job if your willing to use the stuff.
I am able to get by under most situations with just a very large bandana I
use as a switching tool, a mosquito net, and proper clothing.

Rusty "MyTie" Johnston
----------------------
pctresearch@pcthiker.com | Long-distance backpacking research
http://www.pcthiker.com | experience the Pacific Crest Trail




> My local Costco store had electronic mosquito repellers in stock.  They are
> made by a company called Lentek (www.lentek.com) and are supposed to
> electronically reproduce the sounds of a dragonfly's beating wings.  Once
> again supposedly a dragonfly being a mosquito predator would scare off other
> mosquitos.  Hmmm....PT Barnum made mention of suckers being born every day and
> I would hate to fall into that catagory. The unit weighs about four ounces
> with batteries and hangs off your belt.  Cost was 20 bucks for a pair. Has any
> listers used one of these high tech gizmo's. ???  Curious, gullible mind(s)
> want to know.
> 
> 
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