Mosquito Killers and Repellers

Mosquitos are perhaps the most irritating gardening pest there is; a real gardener’s vampire. They’ve been known to ruin a fair few garden parties and events too!

These flying menaces always seem to make an appearance at the worst possible time for us, usually when we have our dinner in the garden after a hot summer day.

It doesn’t help that we have a public pond nearby that they use to breed.

Here, I take a look at four common mosquito products and share my experiences of using them:

1) Benzano Indoor Mosquito Deterrent:

• The highest rated indoor mosquito and fly deterrent.
• Over 2300 Amazon reviews.
• Chemical-free and pet safe.
• Covers a wide area.

2) BugZapper:

• Found in restaurants and commercial kitchens.
• Kills rather than repels mosquitos.
• No chemicals.
• Last for years.

3) Neem Oil:

• Natural and effective mosquito deterrent and killer.
• Extracted from Neem trees which naturally repel mosquitos.
• Widely used in India.
• No toxic compounds and safe for children over 4 yrs.

4) Mosquito Killer Dunks:

• Use in any standing water.
• Ponds, gutters, rain barrels, water features etc.
• Pet safe, also safe for fish and humans.
• Kills juvenile mosquitoes before they are old enough to bite.

1) Bezan Indoor Deterrent: 

Overview

While not technically a mosquito killer, this product from Bezano is a repeller.

In each pack, you get six devices that you can plug into the power sockets around your home.

The devices emit a low-level ultrasonic wave that mosquitos and other bugs hate.

During testing, I noticed a significant drop in the number of flying insects that came into the property.

I previously used ultrasonic devices to keep cats out of my garden and when I researched the topic I found evidence from the RSPCA and also an Australian research paper that such devices reduce cat intrusions by up to 46%.

The ultrasonic noise from this device is targeted toward small insects, meaning cats, dogs and humans won’t hear it.

I can confirm that Doogie, our resident dog, didn’t behave differently when the devices were switched on.

This product from Benzano devices is 100% safe and contains no chemicals, glues or foul odours, and you can use it in any room, even the kitchen.

Cons

• It doesn’t kill them, it just repels them, pushing them to another area.
• During testing, I found that the results weren’t immediate and it took a few days to see results.
• I found that it doesn’t work outdoors.

2) BugZappa:

Overview

This mosquito killer is similar to other UV products in that the UV light attracts the mosquitos, and an electrical current then kills them.

You’ve probably seen these in commercial kitchens, restaurants, butchers etc because they work very well and if a mosquito enters the area, it will be attracted to the UV light and then killed.

I previously owned one of these at my previous property that was plagued by mosquitos and it certainly helped but only in specific cases.

I recommend UV mosquito killers for porches, balconies, patio areas and in areas where food is prepared.

Cons

• The dead mosquitos collect in the tray which needs to be emptied out – something I found quite disgusting!
• The lead is short and you’ll need to use an extension lead on porches or outside.
• If used outdoors,  they will attract mosquitos and you’ll be surprised how many collect in the tray – often hundreds but sometimes thousands.

My Experience with UV Lights

I owned one of these lamps and used it during the summer and autumn at my previous property.

It did attract mosquitos that might otherwise have stayed away from the property but it also killed them instantly.

It took a little trial and error to find the best location so the attracted mosquitos weren’t a nuisance.

I found that placing it near an artificial light source delivered the best results.

3) Neem Oil:

Overview

Neem oil has been used in India for hundreds of years and is an effective mosquito deterrent that can be applied to the skin and most plants.

The neem seeds are ground into a powder and then soaked with water; the resulting compound can be sprayed onto plants every week or so to deter many pests including mosquitoes.

The neem liquid is also an egg-laying deterrent and once consumed by mosquitoes, it disrupts their digestive system and stops them from consuming any more food, they then die.

Neem is widely used on organic crops as an alternative to pesticides (source) and is an effective mosquito killer.

Neem oil is sold in the UK in various forms from skin creams, ready-to-use garden sprayers to pure compounds that you’ll need to dilute yourself.

The Trees website has a great guide to creating your own Neem oil bug repellent here; it’s well worth exploring if you want to go down the DIY route.

Cons

• Not as effective as chemical pesticides.
• Limited number of products on sale with most users creating their own DIY product by diluting pure neem oil and buying a sprayer.
• Needs to be reapplied after rain and at least once per week.

4) Mosquito Killer Dunks:

Overview

Standing water can contain many thousands of mosquito larvae and once these menaces take flight, you’ll be their first meal.

Mosquito killer dunks contain a bacteria that’s fatal to mosquito larvae and young mosquitoes but safe for all other animals, including fish, bees and pets.

Place these dunks anywhere there is standing water where mosquito larvae may be present; garden water features, ponds, rain barrels, gutters, bird drinking tables etc.

Each pack contains six dunks, and each one covers up to 100 sq feet of water. You can even break each dunk into pieces to treat smaller areas too.

Expect each dunk to last around a month, but you won’t need to use them all year, only during mosquito peak season.

These dunks are certified for organic use in the USA and have excellent reviews on Amazon, well over 12000 positive reviews so far.

Cons

• Will reduce mosquitoes from the water on your property but unless you can convince surrounding landowners to use them, their overall effectiveness may be limited (depending on the size of your land).

My Experience of Mosquito Dunks

At my previous property, we were inundated with mosquitos in the summer and autumn and so were the neighbours.

One neighbour, who owned a pond. told me that the mosquitos used his pond for breeding and it was often covered in larvae. He used the dunks and it killed off the larvae but as there was a public pond, ditch and lake nearby, it didn’t noticeably reduce the number of mosquitos in our gardens.

Will it work for you?

That depends on the size of your garden and where the mosquitos are breeding and where you are able to use these dunks – they do work but only if you have access to the water.

FAQs

Garden Edging Ideas

Explore what we feel are 25 of the best lawn and garden edging ideas. Thoughtfully created by the team here at DIY Gardening. Start Here