Frequently Asked Questions

Honestly? Probably not in any meaningful way. SkeeterBeater is designed primarily as an entertainment app. While it's based on real scientific research about mosquito behavior and UV light attraction, there are important limitations:

• iPhone screens cannot emit true UV-A wavelengths - we can only simulate the visual appearance
• Scientific studies show UV light is only a secondary attractant for mosquitoes
• Mosquitoes are primarily attracted to CO2, body heat, and chemical cues from humans
• Real bug zappers are shown to kill less than 0.25% mosquitoes - mostly beneficial insects

For real mosquito protection, use EPA-registered repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.

Because it's genuinely fun and educational! SkeeterBeater offers:

• Entertainment: Satisfying zap effects, motion detection gameplay, and three beautiful visual modes
• Education: Learn about real mosquito science, UV light research, and PWM technology
• Conversation starter: Great for camping trips, backyard BBQs, or anywhere mosquitoes are a topic
• Awareness: Learn about organizations actually fighting mosquito-borne diseases
• It's free: No cost, no ads, just fun

Yes! SkeeterBeater is completely free to download and use. There are no in-app purchases, no premium features locked behind paywalls, and no advertisements. Just download and enjoy.

SkeeterBeater requires iOS 18.0 or later and is compatible with:

• iPhone (primary target - optimized experience)
• iPad (secondary - works but designed for iPhone)

Note: Motion detection features work best on actual devices with accelerometers. Simulators will have limited functionality.

Motion detection lets you swing your phone like a bug zapper racket to trigger zap effects:

1. Open Settings (gear icon) and enable "Motion Detection"
2. Adjust sensitivity as desired (Low/Medium/High)
3. Activate the app from the main screen
4. Swing your phone with a quick motion
5. Enjoy the visual zap, sound effect, and haptic feedback!

Tip: Make sure you have a firm grip on your phone. We're not responsible for any phones yeeted into oblivion during enthusiastic skeeter-swatting sessions.

SkeeterBeater features three unique visual modes:

• 🎾 Racket Zapper: Tennis racket design with electrified mesh grid. Deep violet color (395nm simulation). Tap to zap!
• 🏮 Patio Lantern: Decorative lantern with vertical bars. Blue-violet gradient (365-400nm simulation). Ambient glow with random zaps.
• ✨ Full Screen: Maximum coverage wire grid with UV glow. Includes a kill counter for tracking virtual mosquito conquests.

Cycle between modes using the icon button in the top-left corner of the main screen, or select directly in Settings.

PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) is a technique that rapidly switches lights on and off at specific frequencies. Research has shown that PWM-modulated UV LEDs can be up to 250% more effective at attracting insects compared to continuous illumination.

SkeeterBeater simulates this effect with configurable PWM settings:

• Base frequency: 85Hz (imperceptible to humans, research-optimized)
• Duty cycle: 50-75% adjustable
• Burst mode: Random high-intensity flashes

It depends on your age and hearing! The app generates frequencies from 15-20 kHz:

• 15 kHz: Most adults can hear this as a high-pitched tone
• 17-18 kHz: Many adults struggle to hear this range
• 20 kHz: Near the upper limit of human hearing - most people over 25 cannot hear this

Younger people, pets, and some animals may be more sensitive to these frequencies. If the sound bothers you, adjust the frequency slider higher or simply use the visual features only.

Yes, with some common-sense precautions:

• Audio: High-frequency sounds may cause discomfort to some people, especially at high volumes. Start with lower volumes.
• Visuals: Flashing/pulsing lights may affect people with photosensitive epilepsy. You can disable animations in settings.
• Motion: When using motion detection, hold your phone securely to prevent drops.
• Screen brightness: Extended use at maximum brightness may cause eye strain. Take breaks.

Dogs and cats can hear higher frequencies than humans (up to 45-65 kHz for dogs, 48-85 kHz for cats). While SkeeterBeater's frequencies (15-20 kHz) are within their hearing range, the volume from phone speakers is generally low.

However, if you notice your pet seems uncomfortable or agitated when the app is active, consider:

• Using a lower frequency setting
• Reducing the volume
• Using the app in a different room from your pet
• Using visual-only mode (mute audio)

Almost nothing! SkeeterBeater is designed with privacy in mind:

• No account required
• No personal information collected
• No analytics or tracking
• No ads (so no ad tracking)
• Settings are stored locally on your device only

See our Privacy Policy for complete details.

Battery usage depends on your settings:

• Screen brightness: Higher brightness = more battery drain
• Animations: Enabled animations use slightly more power
• Audio: Continuous audio playback uses some battery
• Motion detection: Accelerometer monitoring uses minimal power

For extended use, consider lowering brightness and disabling animations. The app is optimized to be as efficient as possible while maintaining functionality.

Currently, the visual features require the screen to be on. However, future updates may include background audio playback. For now, consider using iOS's Auto-Lock settings to keep the screen on longer while using SkeeterBeater.

If you're experiencing a white screen on launch, try these steps:

1. Force quit the app and relaunch
2. Restart your device
3. Ensure you're running the latest version of iOS
4. Delete and reinstall the app

If the problem persists, please contact us with your device model and iOS version.