Bats and Bat Houses
Bats feed on the same insects that bug
zappers collect and are no more effective
for controlling mosquitoes than their
electronic equivalent. Bats feed primarily
on beetles, wasps, ants, flies, stoneflies,
mayflies, moths, and grasshoppers.
Mosquitoes consist of less than 1% of a
bat’s diet.
Every so often, a well-meaning
conservation group promotes bats to
eliminate mosquitoes from areas where the
nuisance level has become intolerable.
This undoubtedly leads to the rediscovery
of research conducted in the 1950’s
indicating that bats released in a room
filled with mosquitoes could catch up to
10 mosquitoes per minute. The research
was
conducted
to
measure
the
effectiveness
of
echolocation
in
insectivorous bat species. The results have
been extrapolated to suggest that wild bats
can consume 600 mosquitoes per hour.
Using that figure, a colony of 500 bats will
remove 250,000 mosquitoes each hour and
theoretically afford mosquito control for
an entire neighborhood.
Research since that time has shown that
insectivorous bats are opportunistic
feeders and that mosquitoes make up a
very small percentage of their natural diet.
Bats’ behavior when locked in a room
with nothing to feed upon but mosquitoes
has no bearing on their behavior in the
wild.
Providing habitat to enhance bat
populations is an admirable activity for
conservation purposes. Using mosquito
control as the reason to initiate public
interest is misleading at best (Rutgers
University).
mosquitoes, on the other hand, stay low in
damp places during daylight hours, or only
come out at night (Purple Martin
Conservation Association).
Purple Martins
Plants: Citronella
oil is known to
have
s o me
mosquito repelling
Mosquito
properties, and the
feeding on
citronella
concept
of
plant.
allowing a plant to
emit a barrier of repellent vapor appears
sound. Unfortunately, the claims made by
the distributors have not stood up to
scientific testing. (www.rci.rutgers.edu)
Purple martins are wonderful birds and
having a colony nearby is educational and
aesthetic. Martins, like all swallows, are
aerial insectivores. They eat only flying
insects, which they catch in flight. Their
diet is diverse, including dragonflies,
damselflies, flies, midges, mayflies,
stinkbugs, leafhoppers, Japanese beetles,
June
bugs,
butterflies,
moths,
grasshoppers, cicadas, bees, wasps, flying
ants, and ballooning spiders. Martins are
not, however, prodigious consumers of
mosquitoes as is so often claimed by
companies that manufacture martin
housing.
An intensive 7-year diet study conducted
at PMCA (Purple Martin Conservation
Association) headquartered in Edinboro,
PA, failed to find a single mosquito among
the 500 diet samples collected from parent
martins bringing beakfuls of insect to their
young. The samples were collected from
martins during all hours of the day, all
season long, and in numerous habitats,
including mosquito-infested ones. Purple
martins and freshwater mosquitoes rarely
if ever cross paths. Martins are daytime
feeders, and feed high in the sky;
Citronella Products
Candles: In order for citronella candles to
work properly you actually have to stay
within the smoky plume to keep
mosquitoes away. The mosquito’s drive
for a blood meal is much stronger than the
diluted scent of the citronella candle.
Plants whose essential oils have been
reported to have repellent activity include:
citronella, cedar, verbena, pennyroyal,
geranium, lavender, pine, cajeput,
cinnamon, rosemary, basil, thyme,
allspice, garlic, and peppermint. Unlike
synthetic insect repellents, plant-derived
repellents have been poorly studied. When
tested, most of these essential oils tend to
give short-lasting protection.
“Natural” repellents are promoted as
“safer”
than
their
“chemical”
counterparts, this claim doesn’t always
hold true. The following is a disclaimer
found on an “herbal solutions” web site:
“Citronella oil is for external use only. If
accidentally ingested, seek medical help
immediately. Do not use if you are
pregnant. This oil has been known to
increase the heart rate in some people.
Safety in young children, nursing women,
or those with severe liver or kidney
disease is not known.”
Insect Predators
Organisms such as dragonflies and praying
mantis provide an important natural
control
mechanism
for
mosquito
populations. However, the effect of natural
enemies on mosquito populations is not,
by itself, sufficient to protect us from
bites. (www.moncton.org)
Some say that mosquitoes are part of the
natural food chain, this is true….but…..
mosquitoes have never been completely
controlled by predators, as is shown by the
following quote from the book Michigan
A History by Bruce Catton.
“In 1822, the War Department built
a fort where Saginaw is now, and in
less than a year the major
commanding, noted that the entire
garrison, including himself, was
down with malaria (a mosquito
transmitted disease) except for one
enlisted man…” The war department
abandoned the post.
Bug Zappers
Electrocuting devices, also known as bug
zappers, rely on ultraviolet light to draw
insects through an electrified wire grid.
These traps attract and kill thousands of
insects, but of all the insects, mosquitoes
comprise less than 5%.
“Our survey of insects electrocuted during
routine use of electrical insect traps revealed
only 31 biting flies, a minute proportion
(0.22%) of the 13,789 total insects counted.
In contrast, species from 12 orders and more
than 104 non-target insect families,
including 1,868 (possible mosquito)
predators and parasites (13.5%) and 6,670
non-biting aquatic insects (48.4%) were
destroyed. The heavy toll on non-target
insects and the near absence of biting flies in
catches suggest that electric insects traps are
worthless for biting fly reduction – and
probably are counterproductive – to
homeowners and other consumers.”
(Entomological News [107(2): 77-82])
“…Bug Zappers Release Bacteria and
Viruses”
“Our studies show that when bug zappers
kill insects they stimulate the release of
large numbers of bacteria or viruses which
may be on the insect surface. Further the
zappers release insect parts such as scales,
hairs, and insect body parts. In aggregate,
the results show that bug zappers not only
pose an immediate threat because of the
release of bacteria and viruses, but they also
release insect particles which are potential
allergens and/or cause various respiratory
conditions such as asthma, rhinitis, and
conjunctivitis” (Research by James Urban
and Alberto Broce, of Kansas State
University – Results of this study confirm 9
other studies from 1977 through 1998).
for a monthly fee, a sound can be
downloaded and broadcast by the cell phone
in order to repel mosquitoes.
The “New Generation”
of Mosquito Traps
“Scientific studies have repeatedly shown
that electronic mosquito repellers do not
prevent host-seeking mosquitoes from
biting. In most cases, the claims made by
distributors border on fraud. Mated female
mosquitoes do not flee from amorous males,
and mosquitoes do not vacate an area hunted
by dragonflies. Electronic mosquito
repellers do little in the way of reducing
mosquito annoyance” (Rutgers University).
These “New Generation” propane powered
mosquito traps are baited with CO2 and
octenol to mimic human/animal respiration.
Most of the test results for these types of
machines talk about numbers and species of
mosquitoes in the traps. Many times they are
being tested as a better way to evaluate
mosquito populations and variety of species
in a given area. This is something that many
of these traps do well.
“Performance claims to the contrary, such
devices seldom have been shown to actually
reduce populations of biting mosquitoes on a
property, or the incidence of bites. In some
situations they could even attract more
mosquitoes into the area one is hoping to
protect”
(University
of
Kentucky,
Entomology Department).
(For best results, you may want to give one
to your neighbor!)
Ultrasonic Devices
Electronic devices that rely on high
frequency sound to repel mosquitoes have
become surprisingly popular. These
products range in size from personal
products, such as watches and key chains, to
tabletop models. A cell phone company
actually offers a “mosquito control” service,
In August 2002, the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) charged a Florida
company
with
making
false
and
unsubstantiated claims in advertising their
ultrasonic products. According to the FTC,
there is no competent or reliable evidence to
support the claims made for the products,
and that the claims are false.
Myths of
Mosquito
Control…
and the
Facts!
The Best Plan for
Mosquito Control
The Saginaw County Mosquito Abatement
Commission’s goal is to provide a quality
environment for man and animals. We
believe that the most productive way to this
goal is by implementing an Integrated
Mosquito Management program. SCMAC
uses the following steps to achieve our goal:
¾ Education
¾ Source Reduction
¾ Surveillance
¾ Larviciding
¾ Adulticiding
Saginaw County
Mosquito
Abatement
Commission
211 Congress
Saginaw, MI 48602
Phone: 989-755-5751
Fax: 989-758-2309
Email: [email protected]