Passive Bug Zapper Tracks Its Kill Count
A new passive bug zapper has been developed that tracks its kill count using an antenna. When a bug is caught, it creates an electromagnetic pulse that is detected by the zapper's circuitry. The device also features a dashboard for visualizing the data collected during its operation.
- ▪The bug zapper uses an antenna to detect electromagnetic pulses created when bugs are caught.
- ▪Nicolas Boichat designed the zapper to enhance the traditional bug-catching experience.
- ▪The device includes a dashboard that utilizes existing graphing libraries to display data.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Passive Bug Zapper Tracks Its Kill Count No comments by: Julian Scheffers May 23, 2026 Title: Copy Short Link: Copy If it’s summer in a warm, humid climate, bugs can be the bane of your existence. A natural solution is to place a passive bug zapper to catch bugs at night. But what if that isn’t fancy enough? [Nicolas Boichat] spices it up with a passive bug zapper that tracks its kill count. But how exactly do you detect a bug zap? With an antenna, of course! When a bug gets caught, it arcs, creating an electromagnetic pulse. A small loop antenna on the backside of the zapper receives the signal. The final PCB, attached to the bug zapper. It was also in part an experiment to see how good you can “vibe-EE” and, well, mixed results.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Hackaday.
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