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"  (Photograph by John Lamb/Getty Images)  Electronic bug zappers are versatile tools\u2014they&amp;#039;re a great form of entertainment, a warning alarm for swarming insects (just listen for the zap) and a great source of outdoor light. But, according to Jonathan Day, a professor of medical entomology at the University of Florida, the electric insect repellent is likely not the best solution to keep pestering flies and blood-sucking mosquitoes away from your backyard this summer. Electric bug killers are ineffective because of their nonspecific, kill-all approach to insects, Day says. The attractant\u2014ultraviolet light\u2014lures harmful, neutral and beneficial insects all at once. In fact, harmful insects are the least likely to fall for the lure, Day says. In studies, insects such as mosquitoes and biting flies constitute the smallest portion of insects killed by electric bug traps. In 1996, Douglas Tallamy, an entomology professor at the University of Delaware, collected the remains of insects from six zappers throughout the course of a summer. Of the 13,789 trapped and zapped insects, only 31 were biting flies\u2014 mosquitoes, flies and gnats. Two thousand were beneficial insects that attack pests, and the rest were harmless, nonbiting species like fireflies and beetles.  To add to the bug zapper&amp;#039;s demerits, carbon dioxide is a more powerful lure for harmful insects than is ultraviolet light. So as zappers draw insects in, nearby humans become the focus of the feast.  Assuming that you&amp;#039;re not buying a zapper for the sheer pleasure of watching a bug explode, there are many alternatives to buying an electric zapper. The most effective technique for keeping harmful insects off a deck, Day says, is with a fan\u2014mosquitoes have difficulty flying in wind faster than 1 mph. Wearing clothing that is lightweight and covers the whole body is also an alternative. But if there&amp;#039;s exposed skin, apply a personal repellent that contains DEET and promises a protection time of at least 1 hour, Day says. The downside to botanical repellents like citronella is that they have shorter protection times and must be applied to skin more frequently.  1. Bug Zapper Racket  Price: $9.40  This zapper is shaped like a tennis racket, for a sporty touch. Two D batteries generate a 2000-volt charge, strong enough to kill mosquitoes, flies, gnats and hurt your sis.  2. Bug Vacuum  Price: $74.99  Suck and shock is the name of the game for this rechargeable handheld vacuum for insects. A high-voltage shock mechanism is built into the base.  3. Solar Bug Zappers  Price: $99.95  On a full charge, the solar bug zapper kills insects with a 300-volt electric shock. The solar panel requires moderate sunlight and an 8-hour charge to power the UV bulb.  4. Extendable Bug and Spider Zapper  Price: $24.99       Why sit back and wait for the bugs to come to you? This zapper helps you go on the offensive: Find a bug, and touch it with the end of this mop handle\u2014it will be no more.   5. The Amazing Fly Gun  Price: $7.95  Why zap bugs, when you can take aim and fire a flying piece of plastic?       6. Mega-Catch Mosquito Trap-Ultra  Price: $628.00 for Trap and Carbon-Dioxide Cylinder  This plug-in mosquito trap produces oscillating light and carbon dioxide to attract bugs, then catches them and leaves them to die. This is one teched-out bug trapper, but, sadly, there is no zapping.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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