UV light to kill bugs

[jcaballero]

I saw somewhere that you could use a UV light wand to kill bugs (mites).
Anyone heard of this or tried it before?

[Paul Mc]

Interesting. I'd love to hear the responses.

[Ray]

I imagine that would have to be a UV bulb with a quartz tube - i.e., unfiltered and able to cause burns to the skin or eyes. A "black light" probably wouldn't do a thing to bugs.

[Discus]

Yes, you'd need a germicidal lamp.

This is not the sort of thing you want to play around with, and I imagine if used incorrectly it would damage not only you, but your plants.

[jcaballero]

The type of lamp that I'm talking about is used to kill bde bugs and bacteria in public places.
The add that I'm looking at says: "Eliminates unwanted bacteria, including E. coli, H1N1, and dust mites."

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by jcaballero

The add that I'm looking at says: "Eliminates unwanted bacteria, including E. coli, H1N1, and dust mites."

Neither H1N1 or dust mites are bacteria. Given that the person who wrote this ad got that much wrong I would see no reason to believe that anything in this ad is anything more than random words that just sounded good to the ad writer.

[Bud]

isnt UV rays from the sun cancerous? we have to put on spf35 creams to protect ourselves from it...
so why would they sell UV lamps??!!
its like selling cigarettes LOL

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Bud

isnt UV rays from the sun cancerous? we have to put on spf35 creams to protect ourselves from it...
so why would they sell UV lamps??!!
its like selling cigarettes LOL

In commercial greenhouse horticulture the use of these lights is a very common way of disinfecting water in cases of greenhouses that use subirrigation (like ebb and flow) in order to avoid wasting water they re-use the water. UV lights can also be used in home water purification systems.

I googled "Eliminates unwanted bacteria, including E. coli, H1N1, and dust mites.", and it turns out that it's a portable UV light system that you can wave around over your bed, floor, whatever to kill every living thing. On a side note I think that they just used improper punctuation, and they mean it kills bacteria (including E.coli) as well as H1N1 and dust mites.

I don't think I'd go waving it around over plants, you're likely to kill the plant as well....

[Bud]

Thanks for the info Camille...
I love that you use google...

[RJSquirrel]

UV bug zappers. The UV isnt zapping the bugs. THE AC current is ...I see UV being used in trash rooms for flies and gnats..I see UV being used in kitchens for the same type of flying insects. I do see some UV lights in greenhouses also. Im assuming they are after they same type of pests. Flies gnats and mosquitos. I dont know about anyone else but in my home I have no flies, gnats, or mosquitos.
Im lonely huh?