We bought one in the summer of 2004. It was pricey, but one of the best investments we made! It doesn't catch 100% of the nasties, but it certainly seems to get most of them. Pretty inexpensive to run, too. Ours is the portable model that runs on propane, so we can move it around and enjoy (almost) munch-free relaxing and dining.

They do work. I have a pint jar full of mosquito and blackfly bodies, dessicated, from last year.

Mainerose, does the portable model that runs on propane make noise? The bordering property to ours has drainage runoff and is a mosquito hatchery. A MM would be less costly than a screen porch but will it really allow you to live outside? Any additional information would be helpful.

laurielilac---it does make kind of a whooshing noise---like air escaping from a balloon, but it is not lound or annoying. We generally keep ours about 40-50 feet away from our patio area. Even after all that rain last June, we were able to dine and relax with very few bugs. It's not 100% effective, but it does a very good job. As I recall, you can get different sizes---I think ours is supposed to keep 1/2 an acre clear. It probably won't be quite as good as a screened proch, but, as you said, it's a lot cheaper. I haven't checked any rental places, but maybe you could ask around so you can "try before you buy" :)

Thank you, mainerose. One last question.....can you hear this whooshing sound from 40-50 feet away?

I've got one of those propane-fired devices and the noise is really minimal. They do attract both black flies and mosquitoes, so be sure to put it a distrance from where you plan to be.