Go on a killing spree

Normally, I’m a peace, love, and cookies kind of a mom, but with the news reports of increasing numbers of Americans contracting the Zika virus, I was overcome with a murderous impulse — to lay waste to the swarms of mosquitoes that summer brings to my backyard!

So I hung Stinger’s 5-in-1 Mosquito Kill System at the end of my yard furthest from my house, because it works by luring the mosquitoes before it electrocutes them. Ideally, it should be operating near mosquito hangouts such as shrubs and trees, shady areas, and standing water.

The 5-in-1 Stinger doesn’t take up too much real estate (18-inches by 10-inches), and the manufacturer boasts that it will de-skeeter an entire acre with its five deadly features: black UV light, green LED lights, thermal lure, clog-free kill grid, and one NOsquito octenol lure (which lasts for 30 days. Refills can be purchased separately.).

The Stinger’s sundown sensor automatically turns the unit on at dusk and turns it off at dawn, or for a serious infestation, you can switch it to 24-hour mode. To prevent fires, the dead insects should be brushed away from the unit frequently. However, the carnage demonstrates that the unit is working, and that’s a cheerful thought. And here’s one more: when you’re using the Stinger, there’s no need for applying bug repellent to your family’s skin.

Stinger Mosquito 5-in-1 Kill System, $79.99, www.target.com.