Mosquito repellent is a somewhat vague term for devices that can be used to deter mosquitoes.
In this article, we review the two types of mosquito repellents available on the Danish market:
- Sound-based mosquito repellents
- Poison-based mosquito repellents
In theory, you could mosquito coils and mosquito light are also referred to as mosquito repellents, but we have chosen to address them in their respective articles.
See also our articles on mosquito killers and mosquito traps.
As an alternative to mosquito repellents, we recommend the mosquito killers above as they are much more effective
Sound-based mosquito repellents
The sound-based mosquito repellents don't work. This is simply because mosquitoes are not frightened by sounds. Mosquitoes can hear; they even have a highly developed sense of hearing, but it is very different from that of humans and is primarily used for mating, with both male and female mosquitoes listening for changes in the opposite sex Wingbeat frequency.
The vast majority of sound-based mosquito repellents emit sounds at a frequency of around 15 kilohertz, which is too high for humans to hear. In Brazil, they have tried to make these sounds via radioin the hope that all listeners would become mosquito-free, but it didn't work. There have even been attempts to scare mosquitoes using the sound of dragonfly wings (which is a predator of mosquitoes), but that didn't work either.
There are numerous scientific studies on mosquito hearing and it has been established in several studies that sound-based devices are ineffective.
Poison-based mosquito repellents
The poison-based mosquito repellents workbut are only effective indoors. These mosquito repellents work by placing a small tablet in them and plugging them into the wall socket. They then release a small amount of insecticide into the room, killing mosquitoes and keeping them at bay.
The problem with these mosquito repellents is that they release insecticide in the area you are in. While the harm to humans and larger animals is limited, sitting in a cloud of insecticide isn't exactly healthy. Of course, if you only use the scarer once in a while, the harm is limited, which may justify its use.
Mosquito repellent for electrical outlets
Most sound-based and poison-based mosquito repellents need to be plugged into an electrical outlet. There are also battery-powered and solar-powered devices to scare mosquitoes, but we won't go into those in depth in this article as they work on exactly the same principles as those that need to be plugged into an electrical outlet.
Recommended alternatives
Instead of using mosquito repellents, we recommend using electric mosquito killers instead. Mosquito killers are recommended because they are more effective and less toxic than the repellent, but also other products such as mosquito coils.
We recommend the models below: