Mosquito traps
One of the best ways to keep a yard clear of biting mosquitoes is to use a mosquito trap. When set up properly, just one or two of these ingenious devices can kill thousands of mosquitoes and all but wipe out a local population.
The style of trap varies by brand, but generally they range from indoor units the size of air purifiers to large units that resemble barbecue grills. Some run on electricity, while others are powered by propane tanks.
They work like this:
The homeowner places the mosquito trap in the yard between the source of the mosquitoes and where people gather. For example, if mosquitoes tend to come from a drainage ditch at the back of the yard, the trap would go near the ditch to catch the insects before they reach the patio.
Typically, it's better to place the trap upwind of the mosquitoes and in a shaded spot.
Because mosquitoes find their prey by detecting CO2, octenol and other chemical odors, as well as light and heat, most mosquito traps use some combination of artificial smells and lighting displays to lure mosquitoes.
Brands like the Mosquito Magnet burn propane both to power the trap and to release CO2, while simpler machines like the Mega-Catch Mosquito Traps may rely on a octenol and a lighting array of oscillating frequencies proven to attract mosquitoes.
Once the mosquitoes get close to the traps, fans capture and force them into catch basins or bags or onto sticky boards to die.
Different mosquito species respond in different ways to the attractants, so homeowners need to experiment to find the right right combination of stimuli. For example, the Asian tiger mosquito, which can transmit dengue and yellow fever, is a daytime biter and responds better to visual attractants than chemical odors.
The mosquito traps can run continuously, or with brands like the Mega-Catch that use timers, can be be set to come on during peak mosquito hours. It typically takes about two months to kill enough of female mosquitoes to make a population collapse.
The pros and cons of mosquito trap brands
The effectiveness of the mosquito traps varies from brand to brand and location to location. However, Mega-Catch machines have performed consistently well in a wide range of area.
In a university test conducted in the saltmarsh surrounding a bay in Northwest Florida, a Mega-Catch Ultra mosquito trap caught nearly 3,000 mosquitoes, outperforming several other brands, including the Mosquito Magnet Liberty, the Lentek Mosquito Trap and the Coleman Mosquito Deleto.
The Mega-Catch again proved more effective in another test conducted in Australia, where it averaged 3,700 mosquitoes per night, compared to slightly more than 2,000 for the Mosquito Magnet mosquito trap.
Probably one of the most significant advantages of the Mega-Catch – which is powered by electricity, not propane – is in its ease of use, especially over traps that rely on propane to produce CO2.
Several brands, including the Mosquito Magnet and the recalled Mosquito Deleto have had significant problems with the connections between their propane tanks and their traps, leading to clogged lines, air build-up and another issues that cause the traps to malfunction.
The Mega-Catch Ultra mosquito trap does offer a slow-release CO2 system, but it works off cannisters like those used in soda-dispensing machines. The cannisters are simple to install and safer to use because there is nothing being burned.
They're also less expensive, since one 20-pound cannister can last up to four months, while some propane burning traps can go through one tank a month.
Mega-Catch traps typically are low-maintenance, requiring only regular cleaning and emptying of the catch containers. The company offers user and repair manuals for download on its Web site.
As one reviewer on Amazon.com described Mega-Catch mosquito traps: “All in all it catches more, for less money, and is more trouble free then any other trap I have used.”
Read our Mosquito Trap Reviews page.