Flowtron
Flowtron BK-40D Electronic Insect Killer
Electronic · Unregulated consumer electric insect trap. It kills insects mechanically and carries no EPA pesticide registration.
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Cons
- No reliable evidence it reduces mosquito bites in controlled studies
- Kills mostly harmless and beneficial insects, very few of them biting mosquitoes
The full review
A long-running outdoor bug zapper that draws insects toward a UV light and an optional octenol lure, then kills them on a high-voltage electric grid. It is rated for coverage of up to about one acre and is often marketed for mosquito control. The device genuinely does kill insects, that part is real, but killing insects is not the same as protecting people from mosquito bites. A well-known field study of suburban zappers found that of nearly 14,000 insects killed, only a fraction of a percent were biting flies such as mosquitoes, while roughly half were harmless non-target insects, including beneficial ones. Zappers are most attractive to insects that are drawn to light, and mosquitoes seeking a blood meal are drawn instead to the carbon dioxide, body heat, and scent of a person standing nearby. So the trap can hum and crackle all evening while doing little to reduce the bites you actually take, and it removes many beneficial insects in the process.
Scorecard
Expand any pillar to see exactly why it scored what it did.
Effectiveness45%0There is no reliable evidence that this reduces mosquito bites. Controlled field studies and systematic reviews of electronic and gadget repellents (ultrasonic devices, apps, and repellent wristbands) have found no protective effect, and the linked research below shows why. It scores zero for effectiveness against biting.
There is no reliable evidence that this reduces mosquito bites. Controlled field studies and systematic reviews of electronic and gadget repellents (ultrasonic devices, apps, and repellent wristbands) have found no protective effect, and the linked research below shows why. It scores zero for effectiveness against biting.
Evidence & honest claims25%10No published studies in our library directly support this product's active ingredients at their concentrations (base 20). Of 3 marketing claims audited: 0 strong, 1 moderate, 0 weak, 2 unsupported (-15). Product-specific research exists (+5).
No published studies in our library directly support this product's active ingredients at their concentrations (base 20). Of 3 marketing claims audited: 0 strong, 1 moderate, 0 weak, 2 unsupported (-15). Product-specific research exists (+5).
Safety15%60This is not applied to your skin and poses little direct hazard to you. Safety is not the concern with these products; effectiveness is (see above). Note that bug zappers kill large numbers of harmless and beneficial insects, very few of which are biting mosquitoes.
This is not applied to your skin and poses little direct hazard to you. Safety is not the concern with these products; effectiveness is (see above). Note that bug zappers kill large numbers of harmless and beneficial insects, very few of which are biting mosquitoes.
Transparency15%0This product publishes no ingredient list (0).
This product publishes no ingredient list (0).
Every pillar is scored from published rules. Read how we score.
Ingredient disclosure
This product publishes no ingredient list (0).
The manufacturer does not publish an ingredient list for this product.
Claims audit
What the marketing says, versus what the evidence supports.
“Kills flying insects on contact with a high-voltage grid”
EfficacyModerateThis is true as far as it goes. The electric grid does kill insects that land on it. The catch is what gets killed: field study of suburban zappers (Frick and Tallamy, 1996) found the overwhelming majority were non-target insects, not biting flies.
“Controls mosquitoes over up to one acre”
EfficacyUnsupportedNot supported for reducing mosquito bites. In the Frick and Tallamy (1996) survey, biting flies were only about 0.22 percent of nearly 14,000 insects killed. Mosquitoes home in on carbon dioxide and body scent rather than UV light, so the trap does not meaningfully lower the bites people take.
“Chemical-free mosquito protection for your yard”
OtherUnsupportedIt is chemical-free, but it is not protection. The device removes many harmless and beneficial insects while barely touching the mosquitoes that bite you, so framing it as yard mosquito protection is misleading.
Related research
- Density and Diversity of Nontarget Insects Killed by Suburban Electric Insect Traps1996Well-supported evidence
This study looked at what suburban bug zappers actually catch. The researchers collected and identified the insects killed by electric zappers over a summer in residential settings, then sorted them into groups: biting flies such as mosquitoes and biting gnats, harmless non-target insects, and beneficial insects. The point was to test the everyday assumption behind buying a zapper for mosquito control, namely that the insects crackling on the grid are the ones that bite you.