Products promising to banish mosquitoes flying off the shelves at Calgary retailers

CALGARY – Calgarians are covered in red spots these days.

No, it’s not an outbreak of the chicken pox – rather, the city’s robust mosquito population taking its toll.

In response to the invasion, Calgary retailers are offering all kinds of methods to get rid of the winged vampires.

You can zap them.

“It just has chemicals in it that attract the mosquitoes as well as black lights that attract the mosquitoes as well,” says Joel Hardy, GM of Canadian Tire in McKenzie Towne.

Or you can stink them away.

“Cintronella, yep mosquitoes hate it and it’s actually my personal favourite. It’s nice and cheap,” says Hardy.

Low-tech candle lanterns and turbo charged skeet vacs are flying off the shelves.

“It uses a couple different technologies including octynol, heat sensors, light sensors, that sort of thing,” says Hardy.

But do all of them work?

Bug expert John Swann says save your money.

“Bottom line is I’ve yet to see one that is truly efficacious.”

Swann claims manufacturers tend to take a tiny bite of mosquito science then twist and suck the life out of it.

For example, he feels octynol spewing vacuum traps are useless.

“Some mosquitoes aren’t attracted to it. Some are actually repelled by it. So if you set it up on one side of your patio and sit on the other side they’re all going to gravitate to you.”

Those who aren’t sold on the mosquito repellent technology and have the cash to pick up something more than bug spray might consider a screen room for their backyard.

The rooms start at $2,500. Screen Rooms by Design owner Eric Blair says the company is currently swarmed with six projects on the go.