The traditional tree hanging bug zapper has always been an iconic sign of the summer season. Its trademark appearance and accompanying telltale blue glow have both been fixtures in American backyards for decades. For many, family gatherings in the backyard just wouldn't be the same without the soft obligatory hum of a bug zapper gently buzzing in the background, and many bug zapper owners will tell you that the very process of listening to the snap and crackle of ill faded insects lured to their doom seems to have a calming and reassuring effect on their well being.
However, despite its perennial popularity, in recent years the traditional zapper has seen a new competitor rise to challenge it's once seemingly unbreakable dominance in the world of retail bug elimination products. This new insect weapon is a modern variant on the original zapper design that combines all the same bug zapping functionality of the original tree hanging model, but comes instead in convenient hand held form. The electric bug zapper racket has very quickly become, quite simply, a retail phenomenon.
This new popular insect killer looks very much like a traditional tennis racket, except the center mesh is made of metal and becomes electrically charged once the unit is powered on. These electric rackets can be swung freely to zap insect's right out of the air, or used indoors to trap crawling insects against the wall and toast them on the spot. When compared to the traditional tree hanging model, it's easy to why this new racket design is gaining traction in the US markets, as it offers several distinct advantages, but two that stand out above the rest.
Portability: When juxtaposed against the original model, the new racket is clearly a much more proactive weapon. Now you need not simply wait and hope insects run into your zapper - you can go hunt them down and take them out. Many bug zapper racket owners have found the thrill of the hunt to be an admittedly addictive new pastime. Lurking around the yard with a racket in hand, many homeowners liken themselves to big game hunters, as they keep a watchful eye for anything that buzzes, bothers or flies.
Indoor Use: The racket style zappers are not simply an outdoor bug killing solution, they work just as well inside your home. For people that like to keep a tidy house, smashing a fly or mosquito against the wall has always pained them as a necessary evil, as the end result often leaves a unpleasant black smear on the wall - and one that's full of bacteria as well. With the new hand held zapper, a homeowner can simply manually electrocute any insect within arm's reach, and then, after turning off the zapper unit, tap the side of the racket against a trash can or the toilet bowl for clean sanitary insect disposal.
For those concerned about safety, bug zapper racket manufacturers are quick to point out that their products are high voltage, but low amperage, so they pose no real threat to humans, even if someone should accidentally touch the electrified center mesh while the racket is powered on. This is not to say, of course, these rackets would not give you a decent jolt if you stuck your finger into the metal mesh, but there is no risk of permanent or serious injury.
When electric bug rackets first hit the U.S. markets a few years ago, many of the models were very poorly constructed and only effective against mosquitoes. The original designs did not pack much of a punch either, as these smallish rackets took AA batteries and were heavily imported from China, often suffering from a high defect rate. Now days, the newest zapper racket models are high quality weapons in the war against the bothersome bug, and have truly become the poster child for advanced insect killing technology.
They are larger, more powerful, taking two D batteries, and come complete with sturdy protective grids, L.E.D. flashlights for attracting and hunting bugs in total darkness, and even specialized features designed to kill insects that attempt to escape your wrath by hiding in your corner. The newest modern models sport a cavalcade of functionalities which are sure to satisfy any bug hating homeowner's slightly sadistic side. They pack enough juice to literally vaporize small insects like mosquitoes and gnats, and voltage sufficient to do battle with even the largest of predatory insects, such as bumblebees, wasps, and wolf spiders.
Of course, all the "buzz" about the new bug zapper racket models does not necessarily mean the traditional tree hanging zappers will be disappearing from store shelves anytime soon, as many people consider the racket style zapper to simply be a compliment to the original, rather than a replacement. So as insect season approaches, perhaps now we can look forward to not only the calming hum of the original mosquito zapper, but also carve out a permanent place in the Summer sound scape for its new auditory companion, the crisp snap of a racket zap.
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