It probably doesn't work, like most sound based repellents. This is what OFF spray is for people. [Uxsight via Crunchgear via Everything USB]

Something tells me that good old scratching is still the best medicine—that and avoiding bananas. I seem to recall Mr. Wizard saying something about how mosquitoes love banana-scented blood or something. If that isn't true, Mr. Wizard has screwed me out of a whole lot of tasty summer treats over the years. [Improvements via 7Gadgets via OhGizmo]

But why a flower, and not a juicy pseudo-human arm? Well, fun fact: Mosquitoes love sucking blood, but they love sucking nectar from flowers even more. Hence, this deadly flower and its irresistible siren's song.

From the flower's "petals," which use colors that attract different mosquito species, to the special environmentally friendly Bt pesticide that resides at its center, everything has been engineered by Thomas Kollars, of the Georgia Southern University at Statesboro, to attract and kill those flying six legged devils (Bt specifically targets mosquitoes).

Even the tiny screen at the center of the flower is specially engineered: The tiny holes are only large enough for the mosquito's tube-shaped mouth (the proboscis) to get through, thereby ensuring ants and other creepy crawlies won't get accidentally snared in this trap too.

The Provector is currently being tested in the wilds of Puerto Rico. We'll know if this deadly "flower" was a success next month at the American Mosquito Control Association meeting in New Orleans. [New Scientist]

"Not only poor people should experience this," the Tweetosphere has Gates saying as he released the swarm into the audience. Malaria is a cause that Bill and Melinda have been hitting hard with their philanthropy, and this is certainly a way to drive that point home.

No word yet on the size of said swarm, or confirmation that they weren't actually infected with malaria for that matter, but as far as stunts go, this is prit-tay fucking awesome. We would know.

Bravo Bill-your sense of humor does geeks proud. [Valleywag, Twitter, Photo: TED/flickr]

In addition to the breathalyzer and mosquito repellent (which just really eeks out a high-pitched tone to annoy everyone around you), it has a flashlight, radio, and is capable of playing videos. When the battery runs out, you pull a string repeatedly to power the device. With such a random list of features, it's an all-around device that not only repels mosquitoes the size of Texas, but maybe, just maybe, prevents you from waking up with something Texas-sized in your bed the next morning after a night of drinking. [GEARlog]

By making bugs that are both unable to carry the virus as well as stronger than their counterparts, the researchers hope to have their disease-fighting insects take over in insect populations, cutting out a huge way that malaria is spread. Will it work the way they planned, or in a few years will they need to create even stronger, Bluejay-sized mosquitoes to combat these malaria-resistant versions? I guess time will tell. –Adam Frucci

BBC News [via Slashdot]

Yeah, it's an Itch Soother. Just try explaining that to the guys when they ask you what you're doing with a dildo in your backpack. – Charlie White

Product Page [Things You Never Knew Existed]

Since mosquito repelling is so hard to measure, this is a growth area for flimflam and quackery. Buyer beware. – Charlie White

Mosquito Repelling And Cat Feeding Phone [Fresh Creation]

That "3707 mosquitoes" death toll sounds pretty impressive until you figure that in your yard there are probably thousands more than that out for blood every night. We're skeptical of any device being able to handle that kind of threat. Wondering if it works? Pony up $499 and you can find out for yourself. – Charlie White

Product page [MegaCatch, via uber-gizmo]