Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 12, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba B8 City / District Winnipeg free press monday july 12, 2004 Mosquito woes now big business spurred by West Nile Many firms Cash in by Ann Gibbon a s canadians feverishly fog Spray Zap trap and Burn away mosquitoes companies in the Bug repellent business Are making big Money Selling the weapons to wage War against the blood thirsty pests. And the Mosquito borne disease West Nile virus is spurring Consumers to fight even harder. The virus infected More than 1,300 people in seven provinces last year killed 14 canadians and is expected to spread across the country this year. The Battle against the ubiquitous Bug has become More than a lifestyle Issue. Its a major health con Cern. The level of Bug repellent consumption reflects that reality. In the United states last year the mos Quito control Industry generated $550 million us in sales with Mosquito traps zappers and Bug repel Lents forming the largest portion $475 million in total. Sales of Citronella candles and other products made up the balance. The Canad $1,395 us for a Mosquito Magnet a device that hums in the backyard As it converts propane into Mosquito attracting co2 As it lures the hapless insect into a trap then death by dehydration. In the ., Seattle based sex offi Cio Sells a line of Buzz off clothing coated with insect repellent made by Green Borough Buzz off insect shield. The ingredient in the fabric per Methrine is a synthetic version of a chrysanthemum based insect repellent. Prices Range from $12 us for a Bandana to $79 us for a hooded sweatshirt. The clothes Haven to received regulatory approval for Sale in Canada although Buzz offs vice president of marketing Jason Griffin said the firm is hoping for the Green Light within the next the line launched this Spring is having unbelievable Success said company spokeswoman Janine Robertson from Seattle who declined to give figures. She said the clothes remain effective for 25 washings equivalent to the average lifetime of a garment. Any product containing deet is a big seller at the shoppers drug Mart in downtown Regina says store manager Paul Harris. Deet developed in the Army in 1946 can be found in varying concentrations in . Johnson & sons off line of mos Quito sprays lotions and products. I be had to go to other stores to get off products because they be sold out says Harris. He says Bug repellent products Are a big summer Driver for store sales. It really helps when reached at its Racine wisc. Head office a Johnson company spokesman said it does not release any financial information. For those disinclined to cover their skin in deet Avons skin so soft line now includes a Mosquito repellent sunblock called Bug guard plus. It contains ir3535, a new repellent approved by the Epa. As Consumers buy business is cashing in. Mosquito magnets maker american biophysics corp. Of North Kingstown r.i., has sold $60 Mil lion can Worth of magnets ? or 100,000 units ? since it entered the Canadian Market four years ago and says the company is profitable although it wont disclose figures. Forbes ranks american Bio physics As the third fastest growing private tech firm inc. Magazine calculated the company a growth Over five years at 25,615 per cent. People Are disappointed by temporary repel Lents says Bob Howland american biophysics vice president of marketing and sales in explaining the devices popularity ? despite its an Market is typically calculated As High Price. ? with the Magnet in four with the being Worth about one tenth of its To six weeks we virtually eliminate Neighbour or $55 million us. Threat of your Mosquito Bug repelling products Range from in Manitoba Poulin a pest control is the ominous big propane powered the virus doing a roaring business at its win fogging guns to Spray a backyard to Nipes and Brandon stores. We be the Ordinary Low priced Citronella can Mosquito done More Mosquito work this june does and torches to the creative sonic and july than we did All last year says control wrist gadgets that Emit sounds of the Lincoln Poulin grandson of Napoleon male Mosquito and the dragonfly said products Poulin who founded the company 60 to irritate the blood sucking female years ago. Mosquito for $19.95 us. Are becoming he credits the Rise in business ? Consumers can pay a lot More than which includes both Bug repellent that to protect themselves ? up to More popular products and services like Yard Spray ing ? to both an unusually wet cold Spring and West Nile fears. With the threat of the virus Mosquito control products Are becoming More customers can spend anywhere from $6.95 for a can of repellent to $600 to have their lot fogged. The fear of West Nile is expanding the Market for Lee Valley & Veritas mesh Bug clothing says Kathy Somerville manager of the Ottawa based chains Calgary store. While previously mainly hikers and campers bought them Somerville says peo ple who want to do everyday things like gardening Are also buyers. The family owned firm Sells everything from head nets that make the wearer look ready for the next Nasa Mission to Bug jackets pants and gloves. Garments Range in Price from $32.50 can for a jacket to $8.95 for open fingertip gloves. Last year sales at each of the chains 11 stores across Canada tripled Over the previous year coinciding with the West Nile scare adds Somerville. Lorne Hepworth president of crop life Canada says people Are going to use repellents whether there a West Nile or there a nothing like demand to bring out inventiveness among businesses ? like so telecoms co. Of South Korea. Its made a cellphone that emits a noise similar to the Buzz of a male Mosquito to repel the female. How Well it works is yet to be deter mined. ? can West news service today s weather Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg free press archives Mosquito Magnet has sold $60 million Worth of its product in its four years in Canada. Magnet a runaway Success by Ann Gibbon mosquitoes have it rough these Days. They re repelled zapped and poisoned. Now they re being dried to death. Credit their dry destruction to american Bio physics corp., a Rhode Island company that makes the Mosquito Magnet. The device which sits in its owners backyard converts propane into c02, which lures the female biting Mosquito. As she approaches the trap on the Magnet she is vacuumed into a net and dehydrated. The device which retails at $1,395 us for the top of the line Model has transformed american Bio physics from a Small biotech company into one that a Business Magazine last year ranked As Amer Ica a fastest growing private firm. The firm was founded in 1991 to design and make Mosquito traps for entomologists the Federal government and others. The Coast guard used the traps to get rid of a Mosquito infestation at its bahamian station. The product became commercially available Only in 1998. Markets now include homeowners As Well As National Parks zoos universities Golf courses restaurants and municipalities. Howland says the Mosquito Magnet has an 80 per cent Market share in Canada competing against companies such As Blue Rhino maker of the Skeete vac Mosquito trap. ? can West news service Sunrise 5 34 . Moonrise 1 51 . Sunset 9 34 . Moonset 5 52 . a 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30 -35 -40 -45 Whitehorse Yellowknife by weather Tec services 25 / 9 25 / 16 map valid for noon Iqaluit july 12, 2004. 17 / 8 l of 95 86 77 68 59 50 41 32 23 14 5 -4 -13 -22 -31 -40 -49 Winnipeg area forecast Churchill St. John s 22 / 9 14 / 9 an area of Low pressure crossing the Dakotas overnight brought Thompson 26 / 13 Edmonton some Cloud and showers Over the Region. This will Clear later this 23 / 12 Saskatoon 24 / 13 l afternoon As an area of High pressure Over the upper half of the province will produce generally sunny skies for the next several Quebec Victoria Vancouver City Fredericton Calgary 24 / 13 Days Over Southern Manitoba. Temperatures will be warm. 24 / 15 27 / 16 Winnipeg 27 / 12 26 / 15 Thunder 23 / 9 today. Morning showers then Clearing. Wind West 20 pm a. Montrea Regina Halifax 29 / 20 Bay 24 / 14 25 / 13 Seattle High 29. Low tonight 15. 28 / 13 29 / 15 Ottawa tuesday. Mostly sunny skies. High 26. Precipitation for the record ? july 12 Max min mean april 1 to july 11 great fall Portland 28 / 17 Boston 28 / 17 Minneapolis 27 / 19 25 / 18 28 / 11 31 / 16 Milwaukee Toronto Boise 30 / 2035 / 18 last year.27.8 11.4 19.6 237.4 my. New York City a Salt Lake City 37 / 21 Normal.26.1 13.6 19.9 116% of Normal. Chicago Windsor 34 / 25 28 / 21 26 / 20 highest on record .39.4 in 1936 july 11 to 6 . San Francisco lowest on record.2.8 in 1926 nil. 21 / 13 Kansas City St. Louis Washington 34 / 23 Reno 35 / 23 28 / 21 32 / 15 Las Denver vegas 34 / 1641 / 28 Manitoba conditions yesterday a l Orlando los Angeles 28 / 17 Miami maximum to 4 . Minimum 24-hour precipitation to 6 . 33 / 24 Memphis Atlanta 32 / 26 Albuquerque Winnipeg.27 .12.nil 34 / 24 32 / 23 33 / 20 Phoenix san Diego 24 / 19 thompson.26.11.1.0 42 / 32 Thunder today s ultraviolet Index the Pas .26 .15.trace Dallas new Orleans l 25 / 12 h highest Index 7.0 at 1 30 . Gimli.25 .13 nil fort Worth Low High valid for Sunshine or thin Clouds. Dauphin .24 .12 nil sunny Cloudy Thunder pressure 26 / 15 pressure Index above 3.0 9 . To 5 . Storm Brandon .26 .13 nil category Index time to sunburn Orlando Miami Portage .26 .15 nil Snow 0 3.9 More than 1 or. 23 / 11 Low Honolulu 32 / 24 25 / 16 moderate kenora.25 .16.12.8 4.0 6.9 about 30 min. Partly cold warm Thunder High Shower Snow 7.0 8.9 about 20 min. Cloudy front front storm extreme Over 9 less than 15 min. Hot spot Gretna Morden 28 cold spot Churchill 3 National International temperatures extended forecast Max. Min. Montreal .29 20 new orleans.34 25 London .15 8 resorts Southern Manitoba Canadian victoria.24 vancouver.24 13 15 Fredericton .27 Halifax .25 St. John s.14 12 13 9 new York .27 san Francisco .21 Seattle .28 21 13 13 manila.31 Mexico City.26 Moscow .21 23 12 10 Honolulu .32 Las vegas.41 Miami.32 24 28 26 mostly sunny skies on wednesday and thursday. Lows 15 to 17. Highs 27 to 29. Normals 14, 26. Yellowknife.25 16 World munich.15 3 Orlando.33 24 Northern Manitoba Whitehorse .25 Edmonton .23 Calgary .23 9 12 9 Atlanta .32 Boston .28 Chicago .31 23 17 20 Amsterdam .14 Athens .33 beijing.26 8 22 21 new Delhi .38 Paris .14 Riyadh .41 30 4 24 Phoenix .42 Tampa .32 acapulco.32 32 25 25 a mix of Sun and Cloud on wednesday and thursday. Lows 13 to 17. Highs 27 to 28. Normals 11, 23. Saskatoon .24 Regina .24 Thunder Bay.26 Toronto .25 13 14 15 18 Dallas .35 denver.30 detroit.30 los angeles.28 24 21 21 17 Dublin .16 Hong Kong .29 jerusalem.34 kyiv.22 6 24 19 10 rome.24 stockholm.18 Sydney .17 Tokyo .27 12 12 6 24 Barbados .31 Havana .31 Montero Bay .31 mazatlan.34 22 23 22 25 Northwestern Ontario a mix of Sun and Cloud on wednesday. Sunny skies thursday. Lows 13 to 14. Highs near 25. Normals 14, 25. Ottawa .28 17 Minneapolis .30 20 lisbon.26 18 warsaw.19 11 Nassau .31 24 information source environment Canada ;