Bug zappers

[Kenelm Philip]

> I ... have never seen any published or unpublished data that describes
> the carnage.

There was a posting to Leps-L or Entomom-L a few years ago on this topic.
I forget the precise numbers now, but there was an estimate of the total
yearly slaughter (billions of insects, to my recollection) and also the
ratio of biting flies to other victims (something around 1% or so). I
have seen these being used in Fairbanks, and they go on zapping bugs
even in daylight, so the carnage is not limited to the night. A bit
earlier there was an interesting comment that bug zappers are used around
the headquarters buildings in some National Parks (!). Apparently it's
OK to _kill_ all the bugs you like in the park--but don't pick up a carcase
and stick a pin through it!

							Ken Philip
fnkwp at uaf.edu




 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl