Mosquito Murder

Mosquito Murder

Two weeks ago, our “electronic insect killer” died.  It hangs from a tree in our yard and is designed to lure and kill a wide range of obnoxious flying insects, over a one acre area. The ultraviolet light lures the insects.  They are killed when they contact the electrically charged gird area, then fall through the open base to the ground. The outer protective cage prevents pets, birds, butterflies and people from contacting the charged grids.

When it stopped working, we dithered around about whether to replace it.  Went over the use of electricity, worried about accidentally killing good insects, discussed political correctness and reviewed the number and size of mosquito and black fly bites on my skin. I am allergic to mosquitoes and to black flies.  Even when using spay-on insect repellent, I end up with welts that can be 2 inches across and ½ inch high each.

Welts won!

To celebrate the new “electronic insect killer”, I have written a cinquain!  “Cinq” is five in French; hence it is a 5-line poem.  A cinquain has no rhyme, a 2-4-6-8-2 syllable pattern and expresses a thought or image in one or perhaps two sentences.

STINGER

Stinger

new one, hung on

the maple, orange cord

wrapped round trunk, plugged in and ready

to kill.

I have received no remuneration for this blog from the Stinger manufacturer – the blog, which as it turns out, could be misconstrued as an advertisement.  I do love my new Stinger though…is it bad to be so content, with a murderous contraption?

Photo is mine.  If you click on the red words, you will go to another website with additional information.