Top 10 Mosquito Trap Tips
There is no single silver bullet to get rid of mosquitoes permanently. If you have a mosquito problem, the best you can do is devise an effective mosquito control plan for your area using the best available strategies including mosquito traps.
1. Research
Make it easy on yourself and let your fingers do the walking! To ensure you buy the best mosquito trap out there, investigate the different traps available and their performance ratings on-line. A great place to start, is Consumer Search and Amazon. Mega-Catch™, a consumer favourite, consistently outperformed most other brands in independent and scientific tests.
2. Work out what you need
The size of your property will determine what sort of trap and how many. Another factor to take into account when deciding just how many traps you may need, is the number and location of mosquito breeding areas. Field tests carried out by EnviroSafe Technologies with Mega-Catch™ mosquito traps in Cairns, Australia, trialed a strategy called the ‘Defensive Line’.
A line of traps were set out at 20 meter intervals with immediate and startling results. The company reported thousands of mosquitoes caught and killed in a single night.
3. Educate your neighbors
Include your neighbors – 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. Your yard could harbor as many as 30 different species while your neighbor’s yard 300 feet away might have completely different species.
4. Safety
Some of the main brands use propane to generate CO2, heat and moisture to attract mosquitoes. Traps that use propane to generate CO2 can pose a fire risk from leaking propane. Coleman had to recall over 130,000 traps in 2003 because of a potential fire hazard. The unique propane free CO2 system used by Mega-Catch™ in their ULTRA traps is by far the safer system to use, especially around small children.
5. Reducing Running Costs
Some traps run on electricity, while others are powered by propane.
Mega-Catch™ traps are powered by electricity and offer a slow release CO2 system on its ULTRA model. This method is significantly cheaper to run than propane, since one 20lb CO2 canister can last up to 4 months, versus one month for propane tanks. Check out an Amazon customer review “Cost Me A Buck A Bug”. “This season the cost of propane is $22 a refill and the bottle has to be changed less than every three weeks…..” You can further reduce running costs with traps that have programmable timers which can be set to come on during peak mosquito hours.
6. When to Start
Most traps will begin to catch immediately if there is any mosquito activity in the vicinity, however it may take 6-8 weeks of use to reduce local populations to the point that breeding cycles are interrupted. So don’t set up your new trap on the eve of an outdoor party or BBQ and expect it to keep the mosquitoes away from your guests. Instead plan ahead, and operate the trap for several weeks in advance of outdoor social occasions.
7. Trap Placement
Location, Location, Location as they say, is a critical variable in maximizing capture rates. Place your trap upwind of breeding sites and as most mosquito species avoid direct sunlight; shaded, sheltered areas – preferably amongst bushes or shrubs and near any wetland areas. Close to or amongst flowering plants that provide nectar is another ideal site. If your catch rate is low, try out a different location as mosquito breeding sites may vary during the season. Experiment and determine the most successful placement for your trap.
8. Attractants
Different mosquito species respond in different ways and there are so many variations in their behaviors and in the things that attract and repel them. The use of Octenol lures in traps can significantly increase catch and kill rates for some species. Other species, however may not be attracted so experimentation is needed to work out the best method. One of the newest lures to hit the market is the Mega-Catch™ 3000. A specially formulated combination lure, it’s been designed to attract a wider range of mosquito species, including the Asian Tiger – an aggressive and hard to catch daytime biter.
9. Maintenance
Once the temperature is consistently below 50°F, mosquitoes are in hibernation for the winter, and you can safely shut down and store your trap. For a trouble-free start to the next season, most manufacturers recommend disconnecting the power, turning off the gas and storing the gas cylinder and trap in a weatherproof environment.
10. Patience and Experimentation
Catching mosquitoes can be compared to fishing. Everyone can do it, but those who are prepared to take the time to experiment and learn about targeted species will always achieve the best results.
