Backyard security againts skeeter attack

Flies don't faze us. Bees won't bother you if you don't bother them. Ants? Well, yeah--they're annoying. Yet, they hardly send us screaming into the night. Mosquitoes, though, are where we draw the line. It was bad enough in summers past to endure a seemingly never ending series of itch-inducing bites, but now those thirsty blood suckers have brought a deadly disease--West Nile virus--to our neck of the woods.

Enough is enough, so we turned to Applica Consumer Products Inc., Miami Lakes, Fla., which has launched a new line of Black & Decker pest repelling and elimination products, most notably the MegaCateh Mosquito Trap, which uses an octenol scent attractant in combination with carbon dioxide (to mimic human breath) as well as LED and UV light systems to lure biting insects (especially mosquitoes!) from up to 1 1/2 acres. Once near the unit, the skeeters are toast thanks to a catch bag (which dehydrates them) or, if you prefer, a liquid catch bag (which drowns them). Here's hoping the little buggers suffer. MegaCatch Mosquito Trap ($499) is available at hardware stores and wherever insect control products are sold. For the nearest outlet, log on to www.megacatch.com or call 800-231-9786.

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