The marketing of new devices designed to attract, then either trap or kill mosquitoes, have generated an enormous amount of interest with consumers. The general idea is to reduce the number of mosquitoes that afflict homeowners. By decreasing the number of egg-laying females through their capture, many products claim to significantly reduce or even collapse local mosquito populations.
Mosquito Magnets at a Distance
Where these traps can vary in power supply, utilizing propane to provide both power and a source of carbon dioxide as an attractant, many are completely self-contained. One of the major advantages is the portability. This gives the option to place the product a considerable distance away from home-sites and electrical outlets. Larger properties, where homes sit on an acre or more can get the mosquitoes intercepted before they even reach the home and bother the people in the vicinity.
How Do Different Mosquito Traps Work?
Some form of attractant lures the host-seeking female mosquitoes to a capture or killing device in all these traps. Some traps are designed to capture the mosquitoes through an impeller fan that suctions them into a net, where other trapping systems adhere the mosquitoes to a sticky surface after landing. Other traps weaponize an electric grid to electrocute mosquitoes drawn into contact. Generally, the attractants are variations of imitating the mammalian scents and body heat that provide enticement for females. Produced either through the combustion of propane or CO2 cylinder as the primary attractant, carbon dioxide is used in the majority of mosquito traps. These traps quite specific for capturing blood-feeding insects looking for human hosts because the plume of CO2 produced mimics human exhalation. To increase attractiveness by several orders of magnitude, the CO2 is frequently synergized with 1-Octen-3-ol, which is a derivative of gasses produced in the rumen of cows; the 1-Octen-3-ol is slow-released.
Asian Tiger Mosquito Lures
To effectively capture the Asian Tiger Mosquito in the areas where they are a problem, specific lures are essential. There are some traps that are highly effective with a mechanism that captures large numbers of Asian Tiger Mosquitoes, especially compared to other traps. However, these devices can’t be simply set and then forgotten. They require some level of maintenance, such as propane replacement, emptying captured nets, replacing adhesive boards, and grids require cleaning to ensure they continually be effective, particularly in high catch areas.
How are Mosquito Traps Tested?
At the American Mosquito Control Association’s national conference, the specialists at Snell Scientifics presented our method for field testing mosquito traps. Our method is cost effective and highly sensitive as we can measure small difference between trap models. To find a series of balanced points on which to mount traps, we spent the time and effort to test hundreds of locations. Typically, our competitors will only utilize rotation methods and hope that they can account for the imbalance of their locations. To help substantiate acreage coverage claims of mosquito traps, our methods use dozens of large malaise traps around the trap and replicated at several sites. Additionally, we test traps in large indoor cages to a ‘base line’ for each trap model as it provides repeatable conditions. With a pre-set number of female mosquitoes for each test, we don’t have to keep repeating tests and comparing to industry standard models. Another test for traps is two matching release rooms that are specifically designed for flying insect testing to effectively guage the lures and other data from flying insect products. Finally, we test mosquito traps in a 12’x20′ building designed as a wind tunnel to test devices that need air flow or with pheromones.
Flying Insect Testing
With Snell Scientifics testing your mosquito trap, we can assure that it is put through many methods of testing to analyse the effectiveness and efficiency. We prepare accurate data and comprehensive reports for your review. Contact us for your product development and testing needs.
