Smart Phone App Claims to Repel Mosquitoes

Concern about West Nile virus has people fighting mosquitoes. A new smart phone App might help on that front.

Lots of gadgets claim to help fight off mosquitoes, but now there's an app you might want to check out. It's called the Anti Mosquito Sonic Repellerr. It emits a high frequency sound, which the makers claim mosquitoes will avoid.  The description says by keeping the app close, mosquitos will stay away.  The makers say it is not 100% effective, but will ease the pain of the biting pests.

At UNT’s Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Dr. Joon Lee handles mosquitos on a daily basis.  The medical entomologist is one of the leading researchers of the insect in the country.

The only product he’s found to be tried and true: DEET.

“Most of the other products are unregistered (with the EPA), which means they are posing minimal risk, but the effectiveness is unproven,” Dr. Lee says.

He cautions, it’s important to read the label on a DEET product.  Dr. Lee finds, concentrations with 15-30% DEET can be safer on the skin than high concentrations.

When it comes to the smart phone app, Dr. Lee says he’s not sure how effective it would be on mosquitos. Dr. Lee says male mosquitos rely on antennae more than females.  While the noise may keep the males away, Dr. Lee says it may not affect the female mosquitos the same way — and females are the bugs that bite