The Louisville Courier-Journal
Saturday, August 24, 2002
THE BEST:
A continuing search for the best of everything
Clever gadget leads charge against mosquito brigade
By MARY FRANCES LANDENWICH
Who won't be bugged
While gathering my weapons, I peer through the window at the slow setting sun, anxiously awaiting the coming of dusk. Again, I strategically plan my defense, ridding my body of any cosmetic fragrance. At last glance, the solar lanterns begin to glow like fireflies, and the purple hue descends upon my patio garden. It is time. The battle begins.
One step through the back door. I am clothed in my armor of hot, sweaty jeans and doused with the not-so-sweet smell of insect repellent, ready for the first attack. There is a brief moment of hesitation and doubt; should I have worn a long-sleeve shirt? No! No! It is my summer night, my backyard patio, and I will not be fortressed inside, held captive to so small an organism.
As the door closes, I race frantically the three yards to the citronella torches, fumbling with the matches in the dark. The torches quickly ignite, and I sigh with relief, settling into my patio rocker, ready for the serenity of the star-filled sky to relieve the tension of the day.
I glance down at my watch. Three minutes have passed and not a bite. But I can't relax. I know they are out there in the dark waiting to catch me off my guard. Then it happens: a faint sensation from my right foot. Looking down, I see the small, black mosquito injecting its itching poison into the top of my foot. I slap my hand down, only to miss as the quickster alights and flies from my grip. And I realize flip-flops were a mistake.
Within minutes, my anxiety rises, and I become a madwoman, suspicious of the night. To maintain my sanity, I retreat to the house to regroup.
I brood and become distant. I hate to admit defeat.
Then, alas, my trusty warrior husband, weary of my obsession to rid
the yard of mosquitoes, discovers a secret weapon: the Mosquito
'Cognito. Now I must say, although I will try anything to regain my
backyard territory, I was skeptical. This green plastic gizmo with
vent holes around the sides could not possibly repel these pesky
insects. No smoky candles. No spray. Just pull it to open, push it to
close. Too easy, I thought; too small. It must be given the ultimate
test. I return to the patio at dusk, wearing shorts, a tank top, no
insect repellent. I light no citronella candles. I place the Mosquito
'Cognito on the patio table in the "on" position, a few
yards from my favorite chair. I sit and I wait. Ten minutes pass, and
all is clear. Then 20, and 30. And then I knew I had won. I had
regained my patio and my yard.
How does it work?
Mosquitoes can sense exhaled carbon dioxide and octenol 100 feet
away. In other words, they smell you and change direction to fly
toward you. The Mosquito 'Cognito uses an inhibitor called Conceal.
It is not a repellent but blocks the carbon-dioxide scent. In other
words, it messes with the mosquitos' minds, so they can't find you.
Pretty clever.
And it works. Developed under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Mosquito 'Cognito runs on two AA batteries. The replaceable Conceal cartridge will last approximately 360 hours. It has a patent pending.
If you want to enjoy your back yard on a summer evening, be armed with the best and easiest product for keeping mosquitoes at bay. The Mosquito 'Cognito can be ordered on-line at mosquitosolutions.com and costs about $30.
Go ahead; the last battle is at hand.
Mary Frances Landenwich teaches eighth-grade language arts at Highland Middle School in Louisville.
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