Why Ultrasonic Pest Repellent Devices May be Worth a Try
A Chemical Free Step
One of the problems faced by homeowners is getting rid of pests. Homeowners have to get rid of insects from the size of mosquitoes to large mammals like rats and raccoons. There are diverse methods available to get rid of these pests, and one of them is the simple installation of an ultrasonic pest repeller.
With the availability of different electronic pest repellers on the market, there are best ones and ones which are a complete waste of money. To prevent you from wasting your time and money, homeowners are advised to check the brand of the repeller to know whether it works for the insect or not.
What Is an Ultrasonic Pest Repellent?
Ultrasonic pest and insect repellent devices make use of high-frequency sound waves to ward away insects. They are designed to eliminate or repel pests such as insects and rodents. This is done simply because the sound waves are intolerable to rodents and insects.
However, it is very important that you understand what these devices can do exactly before investing in one. This is because simply plugging in an ultrasonic pest repeller will not end your pest woes.
As well, the design of the ultrasonic pest repeller is not under the regulation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act in the United States, so any issue with their use is not covered. While the use of these devices may be tagged as ineffective, harmful and a waste of money, the fact is that they are still effective for some type of insects.
How Do Ultrasonic Pest Control Devices Work?
Thousands of years ago, the Chinese began using sounds to repel pests. They used devices that were operated manually, which emitted sounds that expelled bugs and pests from their crops. However, the improvement of technology has led to the production of ultrasonic pest repellers. As the name implies, the ultrasonic pest repeller involves the use of ultrasound, which means sound of more than 20,000 Hz.
This level of sound is practically undetectable by the human ear, but it is thought to create certain symptoms in pests such as convulsions, confusion, and even death — otherwise known as an audiogenic seizure response. As such, ultrasonic sound makes pests vacate the area and look for a friendlier environment.
What Kind of Pests or Insects Do Ultrasonic Devices Work On?
Since ultrasonic pest repellents make use of sound, it seems to work on a diverse variety of insects and pests. Also, since they offer different sounds, they are effective against different pests including cockroaches, ants, rats, mice, and spiders. Some other ultrasonic pest repellents also work for fleas, bats, squirrels, etc.
Since some household pets like dogs and cats are not affected by the ultrasonic sounds that the device emits, some repellents are safe for household pets. The sound can, however, distress domesticated rodents such as hamsters and rabbits. Before using this type of device, always check the manufacturer warning labels to be certain.
Do Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Work?
Can the sounds produced by these devices control pests? This may not work with commercially available devices. When these devices are administered in a very specific way, the behavior of pests can be affected by certain ultrasonic sounds, but this technology is not yet available commercially.
Although many of the ultrasonic repellents have a small, short-term impact on some pests, many others don’t effectively control them. According to research by the National Wildlife Research Center and the United States Department of Agriculture in 1995, even if the sound controlled them effectively, the effect tends to reduce after a few days of exposure; this is because the pests will become used to the sound and see it as their new environment.
In 2015, another study by the University of Arizona showed that the commercially available ultrasonic pest devices are not an effective means of treating pest problems. There have been several warnings across the nation that consumers should avoid the use of these devices.
When Should You Try Using One?
Despite warnings regarding their ineffectiveness, using an ultrasonic pest repeller is worth a try. New technologies are making them more effective and longer lasting. They are an especially good option if you are concerned about using chemicals or poisons as pest repellents.
