Mosquitoes are a common summer nuisance, but the makers of an app that emits a high-pitched sound say they might have the answer to keep the pesky bugs at bay.
The Anti-Mosquito Sonic Repeller app, which is available to Android and iOS users, emits a high-frequency sound that maker Pico Brothers says mosquitoes find “distasteful.”
There is little evidence that this type of “electronic repeller” actually works, and even the makers say on their website that the app does not offer 100 per cent cover, “but will ease the pain of mosquitos biting you.”
Health Canada says devices designed to trap and kill mosquitoes, or repellents besides those applied directly to skin, have not been proven effective at reducing mosquito populations.
The app is based on a theory that high-frequency sounds target female mosquitoes -- the ones that feast on human blood -- because the sound imitates the male wing-beat. Once a female mosquito has gotten pregnant, she will try to avoid the males.
The app offers three pitch controls so the user can find the “optimal repelling frequency” depending on their region.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the app’s claims of effectiveness has been met with some skepticism.
One online reviewer cried foul outright: “This app will have no effect whatsoever on any species of mosquito.”
But another commenter was impressed after noticing a lack of bites. “After 20 minutes not one mosquito!”
Mosquito-swatters can add this app to the list of dozens of products on the market that claim to effectively repel mosquitoes, including a range of bug sprays, electric bug zappers and citronella candles.
