Mosquitoes often find us by homing in on the carbon dioxide and the alcohol
octenol in our breath, which they can detect from up to 100 metres away. The
Dragonfly trap developed by BioSensory of Connecticut releases just the right
blend of those chemicals to lure mosquitoes. It also has a thermal lure that is
just as warm as your skin. When mozzies approach, the device kills them with an
electrostatic pulse. The trap does not attract beneficial insects, the company
claims, yet can kill up to 20 000 mosquitoes a night— and all without
unsightly splattering.
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