Ultrasound and Insects

Ultrasonic Pest Repellers are used as substitute for Mosquito coils and liquids to avoid inhaling of toxic fumes. It is the non toxic way to repel pests like mosquitoes.This article describes the relationship between Ultrasound and Insects.

Ultrasonic Pest Repellers are used as substitute for Mosquito coils and liquids to avoid inhaling of toxic fumes. It is the non toxic way to repel pests like mosquitoes. As per scientific information and experimental evidences, the animals respond to Ultrasound and avoid its presence. Small mammals like Dogs, Cats etc. responds to 22-25 kHz ultrasound and Rats to 60-72 kHz. Insects like Mosquitoes, Flies responds to 38-44 kHz.

What is Ultrasound?

The hearing property of human ear is limited. Human ear can perceive sound with in a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The sound frequency below 20 Hz is Infrasonic sound and above 20 kHz is Ultrasonic sound. Human ear is not sensitive to Ultrasound because the eardrum cannot vibrate as fast as ultrasound. Ultrasound has high frequency, so the wave is very powerful. Ultrasound travel along straight line even in the presence of obstacles. When the ultrasound hits an object, it bends and round and spread in all directions.

What is the relation between Ultrasound and animals?

Even though human ear cannot sense ultrasound, many animals can produce and hear ultrasound. Many insects, rodents, bats and small mammals communicate through ultrasound. Insects have sensory structures to produce and detect ultrasound. Cockroaches have “Sensory hairs” to sense ultrasound. Spiders, Wasps, Beetles, Flies etc have a “Tympanic membrane” to detect ultrasound. Fleas communicate using high frequency ultrasound. Male Mosquitoes produce ultrasound to attract females. Female mosquitoes have sensory structures to receive ultrasound. Spiders, lizards also have ability to sense ultrasound.

How does Ultrasound affect animals?

The Ultrasound sensors are present in the antennae of Mosquitoes and genetalia of Cockroaches. Ultrasound emitted by the Repeller will scare away the pests and confuse them. Ultrasonic sound will create stress on the nervous system of insects and jam their own ultrasound frequency. This will immobilize the insects and they escape from the source of ultrasound.

Does the ultrasound pass through walls?

No. Ultrasound will not pass through walls like the ordinary sound waves. When the ultrasound hits an object,it bends and round the object and spreads.

How does ultrasound repel pests?

Ultrasound pest chasers are designed to repel pests from the home. Rodents respond to ultrasound with a frequency around 60 kHz. Cats and Dogs can be repelled using 22-25 kHz. Insects like mosquitoes, House fly, Fleas etc responds to 38-44 kHz. Ultrasound will create high pressure on the eardrum of Rats so that they move away from ultrasound source. Ultrasound generally creates stress on animals, so they avoid ultrasound.

How does Ultrasound repel Mosquitoes?

Male mosquito is the natural enemy of female mosquito after breeding. Both male and female mosquitoes use plant juice as food. But female mosquito requires human blood protein for the maturation of their eggs. Male mosquitoes will not bite human beings. On the first day of emergence, the female mosquito will not bite but after mating with male it starts to bite human beings to get blood. Female mosquito will not allow males to mate again and they avoid the presence of males. Females detect the presence of males by sensing the Ultrasound produced by the males. If an Ultrasound generator is used, it will imitate male mosquito by producing 38 kHz ultrasound. This will repel Female mosquitoes. Moreover the ultrasound will create stress on the ultrasound sensillae present on the antenna of female mosquitoes, so the move away from the source of ultrasound.

Is it safe for human beings?

Ultrasound Pest Repellers are widely used in Homes, Gardens, Farm yards etc. to repel various kinds of pests. Commercial ultrasound Pest Repellers are designed to emit ultrasound in the frequency range 20 kHz to 100 kHz. Ultrasound above 20 kHz is inaudible to man but children can hear the ultrasound to a certain level up to 30 kHz. Many house hold appliances like Telephone, Computer, Vacuum cleaner etc emit ultrasound, but we cannot hear it because it is inaudible. Ultrasound is considered as the safest method for scanning pregnancy. Ultrasound scanning is widely used in hospitals. Echocardiogram also uses ultrasound to image the heart’s functions. As per the scientific information, Ultrasound will not cause any health problems.

What are the important aspects of ultrasound pest chasers?

Most ultrasonic pest Repellers do not give better results due to one of the following reasons.

a. Power output of the Transducer. If the power output is low, pests will ignore the sound.

b. Direction and angle of sound. Usually ultrasound travels at an angle of 45 degree from the source. If there is an obstacle in the path, some of the sound waves will reflect and bend. This reduces the coverage area.

c. Response to animals. Usually small animals respond to ultrasound. These devices are used to repel pests from houses, farm yards, garden etc. The response depends on the number of pests in the population and the number of ultrasound waves reaching in their vicinity.

d. Some animals will ignore the ultrasound initially but later they avoid it. Some other animals, first show response and later learn to adjust with it.

e. Mosquito population is very large when compared to other animals. So the number of mosquitoes showing response is a matter of observation.

Is there any safety recommendations?

Ultrasound is biologically safe to human beings as per scientific information. But ultrasound frequency close to 30 kHz can be sensed by children to a certain level. So it is recommended not to use such devices continuously near the children below 5 years.

Response of Animals to Ultrasound

1. 22-25 kHz Dogs, Cats
2. 38-44 kHz Mosquitoes, Fleas, House Fly, Spiders, Cockroaches
3. 52-60 kHz Lizards
4. 60-72 kHz Rats