Mosquito Killers (Black Hole)

[garyh]

Has any one tried those black Hole Mosquito killers, if so are they effective or not?

[menostay]

The Black Hole type are next to useless. There is a larger type that attracts bugs to a grid by the light from 2 flourescent bulbs.

Having used one every night for 2 years the mosquito population is much less outside and likewise inside.

Also, common Listerine (mixed 50/50 with water--cheaper you see) sprayed in your room will stop the beggars for 3 days or so. Spray is harmless and so avoids the nastiness of the chemical sprays. Cheers.

[Gladiator]

Sorry to disagree.

I have used one in our bedroom for three years now and I find it very effective. Only have to look at the number of mozzies caught in the trap each morning.

If I had the dosh I would put one in very room and outside also

[craigt3365]

What about screens? Really cheap and work great for us. Rarely have a mozzie in our house. I have a friend who uses a black hole outdoors and loves it. Others are not so happy. They are not cheap for sure...

[noise]

My experience has been the fan sucking air in will suck mosquitoes in if, and only if, they come near enough. But running it 6 feet from a screen door, I find most of the mosquitoes gather at the door because of the human smells coming out vice going near the Black Hole with its simple blue light bulbs.

Seems obvious to me when I think about it: smell of a walking blood bank or a blue light, what would a mosquito prefer?

[stiggy]

Black hole wasnt to effective for us.

We do have a much cheaper version with electric fan and Uv lights that catches and kills loads of the buggers.

Biggest problem is wife likes doors inc door frame mozzie screens open as she claims more air !

However after a week in hospital with full on Dengue, she will now be a women possesed and our house finally should be airtight.

Simple deterents shouldnt be overlooked , no standing water , spray house every now and then, long sleeves and trousers after rain, mozzie repelant.

[Heng]

Is the Black Hole the one with the CO2 cartridges? If so, then yes, it works pretty well for us. We have one hidden away in our entry way and one in the kitchen, the only two rooms that are open for prolonged periods without window screens. Looks like about 50+ or so caught/killed a week before it gets cleaned out, and fairly rare to find a mosquito in the rest of the house that gets past this 'shield' area.

[dave111223]

I bought a "mini black hole" (same brand as the big one, but only about 8" tall and looks different).

It does absolutely nothing. I put it in a room size about 3x3meters FULL of mosquitos (at least 20 flying around). I left it on over night (with no people in the room).

In the morning there were 0 mosquitos in the tray, it had only managed to catch 1 other kind of fly. If it doesn't work in those kind of conditions it's pretty much useless.

But this is just for the "mini" one (don't buy it)

[garyh]

I was looking at the one on promotion for 2500 Baht which has no gas tank but generates CO2 by some other means,

[Scully]

I live on a mountain up north we have mosquito screens and yet there was a scorpion crawling over the bed last night and the night before I nearly stepped on a 8 inch centerpede (nasty bite) when I went outside.

Its so cold there are hardly any mossies here, the least of my worries.

[joe84330]

i've never tried the black hole but am now expecting several mosquito pheromone based traps from the US. rather than attracting any mosquito with light/Co2, it is supposed to work by triggering the female with pheromones that tell her it is a safe place to have her babies, only problem is that once they are in they cannot get out. theoretically, this should reduce the local population as a whole over time as there should be drastically fewer new ones in and around the yard.

[Nawtier]

I have one for sale if anyone wants it.

The bigger black hole type.....was around 23k in homepro when we bought it.

[robblok]

I bought a black hole for 2500 +/- and it caught over 20 mosquito's last night. So im quite pleased its much better as those cheaper ones.

[stickyrice]

Hmmm that is so interesting to see people very different experiences with CO2/light based mosquito traps.

I happened across this article that cites a University of Florida entomologist that said:

"The state (Florida) is home to 74 species of mosquitoes, of which about half prey on people, he said. Only a few species are likely to be controlled with a CO2 trap because variables such as flight range, habitat preference and feeding behavior determine whether the trap will capture mosquitoes in large enough numbers to reduce biting around the home."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050607013042.htm

I had no idea that different mosquitoes behaved so differently. Perhaps different posters have different species?

[Thongkorn]

When i am out in the sticks , i burn coconut husks that seems to keep the little devils away .

[haveaniceday]

I have a Black Hole Junior, does absolutely nothing as well.

The light doesn't zap em like the zapping lights back in the west, it just attracts them, well it fails their too, then the insects are meant to hiut the electric grill and die, and get sucked in by the fan. Hopeless.

We some times use it for a night light for the kids !!!