Not much gets mozzies to buzz off
Image: ©Ales_Utovko / istockphoto.com
Do you think that lighting a citronella candle will drive off mosquitoes? Think again.
According to research published in the Journal of Insect Science, the candles don't work.
Researchers tested 11 different repellents using Aedes aegypti female mosquitoes.
They stuck the mosquitoes in a cage in a wind tunnel and then positioned a person equipped with spray-on repellents or with various devices upwind of them to see how the insects moved.
The researchers reported: "The citronella candle had no effect."
To be more precise, at 1m 88.82% of the mosquitoes buzzed towards a person with no repellents at all.
When the human bait was using the candle that went up to 90.95% of mosquitoes.
It wasn't the worst performer on the list of repellents. The researchers found the sonic mosquito repeller attracted 91.17% of mosquitoes, and bracelets attracted 91.31%.
"We are not aware of any study showing that mos-quitoes can be repelled by sound waves and we consider these devices as the modern equivalent of snake oil," the researchers said.
"The only wearable device that reduced mosquito attraction was the OFF! Clip-on Metofluthrin nebuliser," they reported.