Mosquito Traps 101

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” Benjamin Franklin

Male mosquitoes do not bite. The real risk is from female mosquitoes who bite when in search of blood to provide protein for their eggs. Scientific research over the past 50 years has shown that female mosquitoes find their prey using a combination of sensory cues including light, shape, color, heat, vibration, sweat and other by-products of human activity. Using that research and with the benefit of extensive field testing (including tests by the United States Department of Agriculture in Gainesville, Florida EnviroSafe Technologies NZ Ltd has developed one of the world’s most advanced mosquito traps: the Mega-Catch™ ULTRA mosquito trap While traps won’t permanently eliminate mosquitoes in the area, and no responsible manufacturer should claim otherwise, they are an effective tool, known to interrupt the breeding cycle thereby significantly decreasing mosquito numbers.

Top Ten Tips for Barbecue Bliss:

1.         If you want to avoid an onslaught of mosquito bites at your next outdoor gathering, try relaxing on the nearest deck chair.  Mosquitoes sense movement and head towards it.  When you pant from exertion, the smell of carbon dioxide (C02) from heavy breathing draws them even closer.  Mosquitoes can smell their dinner from an impressive distance of up to 50 meters which doesn’t bode well for people emitting large quantities of C02.

2.         Lactic acid (secreted by sweat glands) is another mosquito favorite, and is one of the reasons why those people who work up a sweat, waving their arms about to defend themselves will become even more of a target.

 3.         Diet.  Larger people tend to give off more carbon dioxide.  This is also why mosquitoes typically prefer munching on adults to small children.

4.         Family planning.  Pregnant women are also at increased risk as they produce a greater-than-normal amount of exhaled C02.  So if you want to spend your summer outdoors put your pregnancy on hold ‘til winter or fall.

5.         Some mosquitoes home in on the fragrances in soaps, shampoos and colognes – replace your usual eau de parfum with some eau de Repellent instead.  Deet, Cutter Advanced (Picaridin) and Repel are all endorsed by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control.

6.         Spray a little permethrin onto your clothing – it’s primarily a fast-acting insecticide and has some repellent activity as well.  (However, never apply permethrin directly to the skin)

 7.         If you or your guests are blonde– consider a hat. Read more…

Q.  If they don’t fly south for the winter, where do mosquitoes go?

A. Mosquitoes, like all insects, are cold-blooded creatures. As a result, they are incapable of regulating body heat and their temperature is dependent upon their surroundings. Mosquitoes are known to function best at 80^o F, become lethargic at 60^o F and cannot  function below 50^o F.  Not all mosquitoes die from the cold and over-winter in various guises: 

• Some species of mosquitoes overwinter as adult females in a state of diapause (a hibernation-like state of arrested development), hiding out in barns, tree holes, basements, attics, etc. anywhere they can get out of the wind. 
  Typically, the female mosquito mates before the onset of winter, refusing to take a blood meal, instead feeding only on sugar.  Their ovaries stop working, so their eggs will not mature.  And they store plenty of fat to sustain them over winter. In spring when the temperatures rise, the female emerges from hibernation, seeks out a blood meal and lays the eggs that produce the next generation of adults.
• Certain mosquito species lay winter hardy eggs able to survive extreme weather, such as cold, ice, and drought.  Typically in late summer or fall, the female lays her eggs in areas where the ground is moist.  In spring, when temperatures begin to rise and moisture is produced by spring rains and melting snow and ice, these eggs will hatch, progressing through larval, pupal, and finally adult stages to begin the cycle all over again.
• And other species of mosquitoes can survive winter in the larval stage.  All mosquito larvae require water, even in winter.  As the water temperature drops, it induces a state of diapause in the mosquito larvae. Development only resumes when the water warms up again.

Winter Mosquito Control
Winter is a great time to institute some DIY home mosquito control.  We all know mosquitoes need still, stagnant water to breed.   Read more…

Mosquitoes love your family and your pets.  In addition to being a nuisance, mosquitoes are known to transmit diseases such as West Nile virus and Heartworm in cats and dogs.

The FDA has traditionally advised keeping your pet indoors around dawn and dusk, because that’s when many mosquito species feed. However that advice is no longer enough to protect your pet. The Asian Tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is an aggressive daytime biter and it carries both West Nile virus and heartworm parasites.  So each time your pet is outside in mosquito territory, it is a sitting target for hungry female mosquitoes seeking a blood meal. 

West Nile virus along with the age-old, ever adaptable mosquito, is probably here to stay so ongoing precautions are essential.  The same thing that protects you against mosquito diseases also protects your pets. Prevention! 

• Eliminate breeding sites
• Use mosquito repellents, and
• Decrease exposure

Eliminate Breeding Sites
Change the water in birdbaths and paddling pools weekly and clean debris from rain gutters.  Eliminating standing water and long grasses will also help create an inhospitable environment for mosquitoes, encouraging them to go elsewhere

Repellents for Pets
There are a number of mosquito repellents available for pets, however as no repellent is 100% effective, heartworm preventatives should still be used.  When choosing a mosquito repellent for your cat or dog, bear in mind that certain chemicals may be harmful or even fatal to your pets.  Human repellents containing DEET have been known to poison cats and should never be used on them. Read more…

Weapon of Mosquito Destruction

When American rocket scientists proposed the ‘Star Wars’ defense system to knock Soviet missiles from the skies with laser beams, little did they realize that 25 years later scientists would be aiming their lasers at another airborne threat – the mosquito.  The Cold War missile-defense strategy has been reborn according to an article published in the Wall Street Journal (March 14, 2009). Now dubbed WMD, or Weapon of Mosquito Destruction, this time round the scientists’ actual target is malaria.  Transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito, malaria kills between one and three million people worldwide each year according to the World Health Organization (WHO).  The plasmodium parasite that causes malaria has become increasingly drug resistant prompting scientists to look at new ways to combat the killer disease.

Efforts to eradicate malaria had stalled until high-profile philanthropist Bill Gates of Microsoft Corp focused worldwide attention on mosquito-borne diseases, and re-launched the war on Malaria.   Grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are designed to encourage scientists to pursue bold ideas that could lead to breakthroughs, focusing on ways to prevent and treat infectious diseases. 

The laser research, funded by Gates, was commissioned by Intellectual Ventures, a Washington-based company founded by former Microsoft executive, Joseph Myhrvold.   He’d been asked by his former boss Bill Gates to look into new ways of combating malaria.  Myhrvold, together with astrophysicist and ‘Star Wars’ architect, Dr Lowell Wood, came up with the idea of using lasers on mosquitoes.  The laser is designed to detect the audio frequency of beating wings, zero in on the bug and burn it on the spot, according to project lead scientist Dr Jordin Kare.  The lasers, designed to be mounted on lamppost type poles could be put around the circumference of villages to create a kind of ‘fence’ against mosquitoes.   ”We like to think back then we made some contribution to the ending of the Cold War with the Star Wars program,” Dr. Kare says. “Now we’re just trying to make a dent in a war that’s actually gone on a lot longer and claimed a lot more lives,” he told the Wall Street Journal. (March 14, 2009)

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes

Scientists everywhere are experimenting with new ways of putting paid to mosquitoes, with weapons that disrupt the sense of sight, smell and heat mosquitoes use to find their prey.   Read more…

EnviroSafe Technologies International Ltd, manufactures Mega-Catch™ mosquito traps and accessories which it distributes and sells through its on-line store to over 40 countries around the globe, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Italy, India and Argentina. 

The company currently produces three models of mosquito trap – the ULTRA, PREMIER and ALPHA – as well as spare parts and a range of accessory items under the Mega-Catch™ brand.  Orders are dispatched from a fulfillment house in Denver, Colorado.

Mega-Catch™  with its range of safe, non-toxic and eco-friendly mosquito traps is looking to expand its U.S. operation through retail outlets and its network of Drop Ship Dealers, which currently includes Homedepot.com, Costco.com and Frontgate.com.

The company is currently looking for qualified manufacturers’ representatives with proven experience selling in the lawn and garden category.  A number of territories are currently available including;  Louisiana, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Colorado. So if you are an established manufacturer’s rep with complimentary lines, or a primary interest in green living products, and you would like to add the Mega-Catch™ range of mosquito traps and accessories, send your inquiry to: info@megacatch.com

Don’t let Mosquito Trapping ‘Fall’ Away

Mosquitoes, universally regarded as a summertime pest, are also known to thrive in the fall, transmitting a multitude of diseases in the process.  In fact mosquitoes remain active until temperatures drop below 50 degrees; which isn’t until late fall in most regions of the United States. With summer winding down, don’t get caught out. Females lay their eggs every three days in standing water, and a single female mosquito can lay thousands of eggs during her life time. And those eggs can have a ‘shelf life’ of up to a year, before hatching.   So those mosquitoes you leave buzzing around now are producing potential offspring that could be back to bite you come next spring.

Cold temperatures kill adult mosquitoes, including their larvae, however global warming is already having an impact, with the increase and spread of mosquito populations and mosquito-borne diseases being recorded worldwide. Just one bite is all it takes to transmit disease, so ongoing precautions are essential, especially in the fall.

Mosquito traps, when used in conjunction with other sensible mosquito control measures are one of the best ways to keep a yard clear of nuisance mosquitoes. While they won’t permanently eliminate mosquitoes in the area, and no responsible manufacturer should claim otherwise, when set up properly, just one or two mosquito traps can kill thousands of  the little biters, significantly reducing the risk of West Nile virus (WNV) or any other mosquito-borne disease.

Bite Prevention the Best Protection against West Nile Virus

Carried by birds and spread by infected mosquitoes, WNV has killed hundreds of millions of birds and infected more than 29,000 people in the U.S. since the first reported outbreak there in 1999.  Now over halfway through the 2009 West Nile season, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) thus far has reported  82 cases in 20 states and 3 confirmed fatalities.  Unfortunately there’s no vaccine for West Nile virus – although research is currently underway to develop one.  The CDC advises preventing the bite is the best protection.

Eliminate Potential Mosquito Nurseries

Getting rid of breeding sites around the home will help reduce the health risks associated with mosquitoes.  They don’t need much; an inch or two of water that has collected in a child’s toy, a flowerpot, or an old tire. Stagnant pools, birdbaths and fountains are another mosquito favorite.  

Mosquito Traps Kill Thousands

So to minimize your mosquito problem, for this season and the next, devise an effective mosquito control plan using the best available strategies, including mosquito traps.  The effectiveness of mosquito traps does vary from brand to brand and location to location.  Mega-Catch™ traps have been independently and scientifically tested and seem to be far superior to the rest at doing what they claim – effectively attracting and killing mosquitoes.  As an added bonus they also deal to biting midges (no-see-ums) black flies and sand flies, all without the use of insecticides, fogs or sprays.

Like mosquitoes, only female midges bite, taking blood to provide a source of protein for their eggs.  Females typically bite at dawn or dusk, often in dense swarms, and usually in the vicinity of water, marshes or rotting vegetation. Where they bite you will depend on the species. Some species will attack you around the head and eyes, while others attack the ankles, often crawling up the body under clothes.  Small wonder biting midges are often referred to as the Vampires of the insect world. 

They”re also known as  ‘no-see-ums’ in North America, as ‘punkies’ in the Northeast; ‘five-O’s in Florida and Alabama (refers to their 5 pm biting habit), ‘pinyon gnats’ in the Southwest, and ‘moose flies’ in Canada.

Less than 1/8 inch long, biting midges are a swarming species and belong to the insect order Diptera, (two-winged flies) family Ceratopogonidae, genus Culicoides.  Just like their close relative the mosquito, warm weather will bring out the biting midges, or “no-see-ums” as their tiny size has nicknamed them.

In the U.S. biting midges are primarily regarded as a nuisance.  The four most important, in order of their pest ranking, are Culicoides furens, C.mississippiensis, C.hollensis and C.barbosai.  Like other blood feeding Diptera i.e. mosquitoes, Culicoides species are vectors or disease carriers that can cause harm to both humans and animals.  Midge bites are as painful and irritating as any mosquito bites, usually starting as a small red welt or water-filled blister that itches. Once scratched, the welt can break open and bleed, but the itching usually continues.  Allergic or sensitive individuals can develop long-lasting painful and itchy lesions. Bite treatments recommended include topical cortisone creams and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen

When the biting midge snacks on livestock this can result in the transmission of a disease called bluetongue, which is found in cattle and sheep. Many countries that are bluetongue free prohibit the movement of livestock from bluetongue endemic regions.  The annual economic damage in lost trade is in the millions of dollars. 

No Money for Midge Control

No-see-ums are especially troublesome in coastal areas, and particularly abundant around mangrove swamps and salt marshes.  They love Florida.  With its temperate climate and regular rainfall, Florida provides ideal habitat for both mosquitoes and midges, and is home to 47 species of the little biters; only seven of which are significant human pests.  Unfortunately mosquito control districts in Florida are not funded to provide control of biting midges. Read more…

In 2003, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution, sponsored by Montana Senator Max Baucus, making September 28, National Good Neighbor Day.  Previously, this day was celebrated on the fourth Sunday of September.

Good Neighbor Day.  It’s definitely a good thing.  Being good neighbors is an important part of the social fiber that makes America so great. 

So say thank you to a good neighbor and be one yourself.  Nominate your neighbor for one of Mega-Catch™’s top performing Premier Mosquito Traps (MSRP $249.00) and win an Alpha Trap (MSRP $99.00) for yourself – because the more traps in your street the better. 

We know that mosquitoes will travel to get blood.  There are over 3,500 mosquito species worldwide with 175 of them in the U.S.  Your yard could harbor as many as 30 different species while your neighbor’s yard 300 feet away might have completely different species. 

For details on how to enter go to : http://www.mommypr.com/?p=8733

August 20 is observed annually as World Mosquito Day.  It was originated in 1897 by Dr Ronald Ross of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and marks his discovery of the transmission of malaria by mosquitoes. He was later honored with a Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1902.

Malaria – The Facts (source WHO)

• Malaria strikes hundreds of millions of people each year and kills more than 880,000, mostly children under five. 
• It is the world’s third-deadliest infectious disease, behind Aids and tuberculosis.
• Global malaria hotspots include South and Central America, rural Southeast Asia and much of Africa, where most deaths from the disease occur.
• Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, carried in the saliva of female mosquitoes.
• When an infected insect bites a person, the parasites travel to the liver, multiply and enter the bloodstream.
• The parasites attack red blood cells, causing them to stick to the walls of capillaries, slowing blood flow.
• Without treatment sufferers can die from organ failure.

Disease Eradication in Doubt

Malaria is found most often in warm climates and while common in Africa, Asia, South America and the South Pacific, has been reported in Europe and N. America as well. Read more…

A new weapon to help ‘fight the bite’ from America’s most unwanted species; the aggressive, disease-carrying, Asian Tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) has just been released by Envirosafe Technologies N.Z. Ltd, the makers of Mega-Catch™ mosquito traps.

Auckland, NZ (PRWEB) August 14, 2009 — The patent-pending, Mega-Catch™ 3000 combo lure developed by and exclusive to Mega-Catch™, is designed to enhance trap performance and increase capture rates. The EPA approved combination lure incorporates synthetic Octenol, lactic acid and other ingredients specifically formulated, then blended to attract the Asian Tiger and other nuisance mosquitoes, sand flies, black flies and biting midges (no-see-ums).

Mega-Catch 3000 Combination Lure

The use of attractant lures in mosquito traps has been shown to significantly increase capture rates of most mosquito species. Read more…