Do Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Work on Bed Bugs?
WouterUltrasonic pest repellers work by emitting high-frequency vibrations that drive pests away from your home or yard. Most ultrasonic pest repellers can be easily plugged into an electrical outlet, and some are battery-operated. Ultrasonic pest repellers emit sounds between thirty and fifty kHz. Humans cannot hear these sounds, but they may be audible to certain pets and rodents.
While ultrasonic devices may be effective at removing pests, they may not produce the right combination of frequencies for bedbugs. Many bedbugs are susceptible to the sounds that humans make, and ultrasonic devices may interfere with this communication. Regardless of their effectiveness, these devices are not a good solution to the problem.
Although the device failed to repel bed bugs during a study, there is some evidence that ultrasonics are effective against other types of pests. The sound waves were not effective against the German cockroach. During a control trial, bedbugs were more likely to avoid the middle corridor where the sound device was installed.
There are numerous independent studies that support the effectiveness of ultrasonic pest repellers. One such study was published in the Journal of Economic Entomology. Researchers tested three commercial ultrasonic devices. The results showed that none of them had any effect on roach behavior or distribution in the room. Moreover, the repellent did not affect fleas or bed bugs.
