Mosquito traps : do they really work ?

[JohnnyJazz]

Mosquitoes are driving me crazy. Of course there are all kind of spray to get rid of them but I'm not sure these chemicals are really healthy for us and they smell terribly bad. And there are mosquitoes' traps. My local department store has a full range of them, at all kind of prices. But the real question is, do they really work to help keep your house mosquito free ?

Edited February 14, 2016 by JohnnyJazz

[HooHaa]

i kept one in the corner of my living room for a while, it had 20 or so mosquitoes in it every morning.

seemed to work quite well, unfortunately the motor died and i haven got around to replacing it.

[1BADDAT]

Mine works very well and it was cheap.

[Thian]

i have 2 of 250 baht with a blue light.....work very well and are full with mosquito's.

[NomadStrategy]

i bought an expensive one, didn't work at all. I bought a cheap one, worked great until the light burned out. Any recommended units?

[jumbo]

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf99273276.tip.html

[DavisH]

They work ok but they also collect a lot of other harmless bugs.

You can pretend you are an entomologist and make you own for about 100 baht using batteries an switch, bulb, icecream container and fine netting - but need access either to dry ice or a tank of CO2 as added cost. The CO2 generally only attracts mosquitoes. I used them in carrying out mosquito surveys in swamps. Caught over 14,000 one night in one trap!

Also, I'd keep the trap away from the house, so as to draw mosquitoes away from the house. They like dark recesses, especially among trees.

Edited February 15, 2016 by DavisH

[canman]

A black plastic bucket tucked away in a dark corner outside. Go out each morning and it will be full of the little buggers; quick blast of mozzie spray and repeat each morning. You will soon get the local population down to livable levels.

[questionsreplies]

What is the best kind? The blue light?

[Ireland32]

Blue light does not attract, u might get a few but carbon dioxide is Key

[thaipod]

I had a black hole type and didn't do much and the light died, too expensive to replace and sold it to a scrap dealer.

[BKKdreaming]

They work ok but they also collect a lot of other harmless bugs.

You can pretend you are an entomologist and make you own for about 100 baht using batteries an switch, bulb, icecream container and fine netting - but need access either to dry ice or a tank of CO2 as added cost. The CO2 generally only attracts mosquitoes. I used them in carrying out mosquito surveys in swamps. Caught over 14,000 one night in one trap!

Also, I'd keep the trap away from the house, so as to draw mosquitoes away from the house. They like dark recesses, especially among trees.

Can you give us some more info on this set-up ? did you just attract them and catch them , or did you ZAP them too ?

and how does the CO2 tank work ? does it stay on 24/7 or do you set it on a timer ?

Thanks

[thaibeachlovers]

They work ok but they also collect a lot of other harmless bugs.

You can pretend you are an entomologist and make you own for about 100 baht using batteries an switch, bulb, icecream container and fine netting - but need access either to dry ice or a tank of CO2 as added cost. The CO2 generally only attracts mosquitoes. I used them in carrying out mosquito surveys in swamps. Caught over 14,000 one night in one trap!

Also, I'd keep the trap away from the house, so as to draw mosquitoes away from the house. They like dark recesses, especially among trees.

Can you give us some more info on this set-up ? did you just attract them and catch them , or did you ZAP them too ?

and how does the CO2 tank work ? does it stay on 24/7 or do you set it on a timer ?

Thanks

I'm sure it'll all be on google.

You could just open your car door for a while and then spray it. Everytime I leave our car door open they move in big time. Probably because of the residual CO2.

I had an expensive Black Hole which used to work, but seems not to now.

I also leave the cobwebs on the ceiling as a natural non toxic trap.

[ozyjon]

Started by mogoso, 2013-05-07 on Thaivisa,,

this article follows me around the world just

in case i need to remember the procedure

read on,,,,

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/637899-mosquito-trap/?utm_source=newsletter-20130508-2131&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=featured

[Pacificperson]

An urn full of water and little fish in the yard will help keep the population down. The mossies lay their eggs in the water and the fish eat the larvae.

[mike324]

I had a black hole type and didn't do much and the light died, too expensive to replace and sold it to a scrap dealer.

Agree, the expensive "Black Hole" like the OP asked does not work well. The cheap ones with light that zaps the mosquito works the best.

[Jing Joe]

For s start on a Co2 generator;-

how about a bottle/bowl with water and bi-carb soda for the mozzies to drown in , and then have another bottle with weak vinegar allowed to drip into it very slowly at night time.

From chem memory this should produce Co2 ???

Then for the fan suggested above use a computer cooling fan. They are brush-less and go for ever.

Run it from a motor bike 12v battery? or a battery drill charger or similar, somewhere between 9v to 12v DC?

The lead acid battery would probably go every night for a week or two? before needing a charge.

Allergic reactions to mozzies are not good and dengue and Zika virus are a threat.

Any improvements on these suggestions for an indoor mozzie trap?

DavisH said; "You can pretend you are an entomologist and make you own for about 100 baht using batteries an switch, bulb, icecr"

What sort of bulb did you use? Do white or blue LEDS attract mozzies? A UV blue would become tricky?

Any LEDs would need a resistor in series to run from the same 12v supply.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Jing Joe

[steven100]

you need to kill as many as you can. They carry Zika virus and Dengue fever so kill them all ....

[Beats56]

You could put a bat house up. They eat a ton of skitters. But you don't want them buggers getting into your house either.

The Mrs would freak if one got in the bedroom. Been there done that.

[Ulic]

The ones that emit CO2 to attract mosquitos work well. The others generally attract bugs

attracted to light (not mosquitos) and kill them.

[VinBkk]

i bought an expensive one, didn't work at all. I bought a cheap one, worked great until the light burned out. Any recommended units?

Could you please confirm which one you are using? where to get that from? highly appreciate it.

[chilli42]

Have tried everything, some at absurd cost. Have never found one that is better than a big ass fan.

[1BADDAT]

The ones that emit CO2 to attract mosquitos work well. The others generally attract bugs

attracted to light (not mosquitos) and kill them.

mine only has a light and it gets 100 times more Mosquitos than bugs

[DavisH]

For s start on a Co2 generator;-

how about a bottle/bowl with water and bi-carb soda for the mozzies to drown in , and then have another bottle with weak vinegar allowed to drip into it very slowly at night time.

From chem memory this should produce Co2 ???

Then for the fan suggested above use a computer cooling fan. They are brush-less and go for ever.

Run it from a motor bike 12v battery? or a battery drill charger or similar, somewhere between 9v to 12v DC?

The lead acid battery would probably go every night for a week or two? before needing a charge.

Allergic reactions to mozzies are not good and dengue and Zika virus are a threat.

Any improvements on these suggestions for an indoor mozzie trap?

DavisH said; "You can pretend you are an entomologist and make you own for about 100 baht using batteries an switch, bulb, icecr"

What sort of bulb did you use? Do white or blue LEDS attract mozzies? A UV blue would become tricky?

Any LEDs would need a resistor in series to run from the same 12v supply.

It was years ago...just a small weak bulb. I've never used LEDS so not sure of the effect. It may actually not do much here as there is a lot of light around anyway. Helps more in a dark wetland. You don't want it too bright as it will attract other insects.

I got a billy can (aussies will know it). I guess it's about 5 litres volume. It has a lid. Then there is some insulation inside it. Dry ice is put in the can. Holes are punches in the bottom of the can to let out the CO2. This can is hung in a tree. Just below the can, there is a little fan setup and battery pack (2 DD batteries, switch and small bulb). The fan is put in 3" small piece of pvc pipe (think it was 3 anyway). Joined on the bottom of the pipe was a piece of mesh joined to the ice cream container. The fan spins and helps draw the co2 down. The mossies are attracted to the co2 and they get sucked into the container. By the morning many of the mossies will be dead but some will still be alive. The batteries generally can run all night (but not much more)

It's an easy setup, but think I'd rig it up so there was a constant stream of CO2 from a gas tank, and perhaps set up some power from a lower outlet to run the small bulb fan and light.

Definitely there should be some info and diagrams on how too do it on the net.

I found most of the mosquitoes here to be crepuscular (bite only around dawn / dusk). So maybe the trap only needs to be run at this times.

When I taught science at my previous school I had the kids make them. They worked well and caught a few mosquitoes.

this may be worth a try too, but not sure how much co2 is produced : http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Plastic-Bottle-Mosquito-Trap

Edited February 16, 2016 by DavisH

[cyberfarang]

I tried the one`s with the ultra violet lights and none of them worked.

[sometimewoodworker]

i bought an expensive one, didn't work at all. I bought a cheap one, worked great until the light burned out. Any recommended units?

Just replace the light, easy to do, not too expensive either.

[marcofunny]

I bought this BLACK HOLE JUNIOR from Home pro for 900 Baht and it sucks as it did not work so well, any recommendations for the other devices.

https://www.directtoshop.com/product/220594

other devices can be found here

https://www.directtoshop.com/ search "mosquito"

[BKKdreaming]

Here are 3 pictures I found on google .

do the mosquitos get sucked thru the small fan ?

and how long does the dry ice last ?

and since they all look the same is this something sold in Australia ?

[BKKdreaming]

and here are a bunch of other ideas to maybe copy or modify from fairfax county virgina

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fairfaxcounty/sets/72157627271014381/

Might be a good idea to find an old ice chest / thermos to put the dry ice in and drill some holes in the bottom ,

is CO2 heavier than air ? or does it matter and the Mosquitos are attracted to the area by the CO2 and the fan sucks them in ?

Edited February 16, 2016 by BKKdreaming

[Jing Joe]

For s start on a Co2 generator;-

how about a bottle/bowl with water and bi-carb soda for the mozzies to drown in , and then have another bottle with weak vinegar allowed to drip into it very slowly at night time.

From chem memory this should produce Co2 ???

Then for the fan suggested above use a computer cooling fan. They are brush-less and go for ever.

Run it from a motor bike 12v battery? or a battery drill charger or similar, somewhere between 9v to 12v DC?

The lead acid battery would probably go every night for a week or two? before needing a charge.

Allergic reactions to mozzies are not good and dengue and Zika virus are a threat.

Any improvements on these suggestions for an indoor mozzie trap?

DavisH said; "You can pretend you are an entomologist and make you own for about 100 baht using batteries an switch, bulb, icecr"

What sort of bulb did you use? Do white or blue LEDS attract mozzies? A UV blue would become tricky?

Any LEDs would need a resistor in series to run from the same 12v supply.

It was years ago...just a small weak bulb. I've never used LEDS so not sure of the effect. It may actually not do much here as there is a lot of light around anyway. Helps more in a dark wetland. You don't want it too bright as it will attract other insects.

I got a billy can (aussies will know it). I guess it's about 5 litres volume. It has a lid. Then there is some insulation inside it. Dry ice is put in the can. Holes are punches in the bottom of the can to let out the CO2. This can is hung in a tree. Just below the can, there is a little fan setup and battery pack (2 DD batteries, switch and small bulb). The fan is put in 3" small piece of pvc pipe (think it was 3 anyway). Joined on the bottom of the pipe was a piece of mesh joined to the ice cream container. The fan spins and helps draw the co2 down. The mossies are attracted to the co2 and they get sucked into the container. By the morning many of the mossies will be dead but some will still be alive. The batteries generally can run all night (but not much more)

It's an easy setup, but think I'd rig it up so there was a constant stream of CO2 from a gas tank, and perhaps set up some power from a lower outlet to run the small bulb fan and light.

Definitely there should be some info and diagrams on how too do it on the net.

I found most of the mosquitoes here to be crepuscular (bite only around dawn / dusk). So maybe the trap only needs to be run at this times.

When I taught science at my previous school I had the kids make them. They worked well and caught a few mosquitoes.

this may be worth a try too, but not sure how much co2 is produced : http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Plastic-Bottle-Mosquito-Trap

Thanks DavisH B.T.W. When I suggested computer cooling fans I generally meant those pancake fans purchased separately and many are 12 volts. Actual hacked fans and underneath cooling fans would be 5 Volts and easily run from a USB power supply.

Re a regulated slow drip of weak vinegar, how about a 1.5 litre Coke bottle with a 5mm clear PVC tube out the side near the bottom. It can be stood on its base or hung up about 1 m higher so the pressure will be constant no matter what level in the bottle. Silastic should seal the pipe/bottle connection. Stuff some cotton wool into the end of the tube where it enters the mozzies "swimming pool" . Or put a few human hairs in the end of the tube and push a round pencil into the tube to make a very fine release gap for the vinegar. Height will help regulate/fine tune the flow. Rather like a intravenous drip used in medicine. Put the Coke bottle at same height as pool when not needed or conversely hang the dripping end of tube up level with the Coke bottle.

Just for fun try mix straight bi-carb soda with straight vinegar and see the huge gas volumes produced. I'm sure its Co2. Dilute the scale to economic practicalities. Is Co2 still going to attract what with a fan and all? Someone else may come up with ideas?

Why go to any trouble to kill mozzies especially in a safer way than pesticides?

This small black insect has killed and maimed more people in history than any other cause and the word is out now about dengue and Zika.

Come on inventors, where are you?