Best Mosquito Traps

Mosquito Magnet traps are most effective, but owners question their durability

Most research studies have focused exclusively on the Mosquito Magnet line of mosquito traps. Mosquito Magnet traps were among the first of the new commercial traps to hit the marketplace, and in a number of studies comparing them to earlier types of traps, Mosquito Magnets consistently outperform the competition in the number and species diversity of mosquitoes captured. In one Florida research study, a set of Mosquito Magnet traps caught more than 91,000 mosquitoes representing 18 species, as well as more than 2 million sand flies, in a one-month period, and significantly reduced mosquito landing rates in a subdivision. Other comparative studies found that Mosquito Magnet traps captured two to three times more mosquitoes than other types of traps. Mosquito Magnet traps all use the same basic technology: CO2 and heat are generated by burning propane, and the traps also come with a cartridge of octenol. Mosquito Magnet also allows the use of Lurex. Once mosquitoes or other tiny biting insects approach the trap, a vacuum mechanism sucks them into a fine mesh net, where they dehydrate and die. It is recommended that the net be emptied every two to three weeks, and it must be replaced periodically.

The Mosquito Magnet Defender (*Est. $280) is the smallest trap, made for yards a half acre or smaller. The Mosquito Magnet Liberty (*Est. $500) is made for yards of about an acre. (Keep in mind that many reviews say there's little chance these acreage estimates could be accurate, since there are so many variables in play.) Both the Defender and the Liberty have a 50-foot power cord, and their propane tanks and octenol lures must be replaced about every three weeks. The Mosquito Magnet Liberty Plus (*Est. $675) has a larger collection bag and uses a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack instead of a power cord.

In the past year, two new models of the Mosquito Magnet have been added to the lineup: the Independence (*Est. $450) and the Executive (*Est. $700). Both are cordless mosquito traps that claim to cover up to an acre. The Independence is similar to the Liberty Plus, but uses four C batteries instead of a rechargeable NiMH battery pack. We could find no data on how often the batteries for this model may be expected to last. The top-of-the-line Mosquito Magnet Executive has a custom rechargeable battery and features an LCD panel that shows when the battery is low, the propane tank needs refilling, or the propane nozzle is clogged. It has a larger, rigid net, and automatically turns itself on or off when the temperature goes above or below 50 degrees.

We selected the Mosquito Magnet Liberty as a Best Reviewed trap because it has been tested more often, and has performed better in tests, than the other Mosquito Magnet models. If you want to be free of a cord, the Liberty Plus is an option, though it's more expensive. The new Mosquito Magnet Independence costs less than the Liberty Plus, but its batteries are not rechargeable.

Several reviewers praise the Mosquito Magnet Liberty for ease of use, though it has its glitches. Daniel Kline, a USDA researcher who lives adjacent to Florida wetlands, said he has kept four cordless Mosquito Magnet Liberty Plus models in his backyard with good results. "The downside is that propane can clog the tiny orifice of the trap," Kline explains, and it can cease functioning. The Maryland Department of Agriculture evaluated the Mosquito Magnet and determined that it was helpful in collecting mosquitoes for its research studies, but that the manufacturer's claims of controlling a population "could not be corroborated."

Dozens of contributors to Epinions.com and Amazon.com say the Mosquito Magnet Liberty is effective -- when it works. A common complaint from user reviewers is that the Mosquito Magnet is expensive to maintain and vulnerable to breakdowns. In 2007, Woodstream Corp. bought the company's assets from American Biophysics, the original manufacturer. However, quality hasn't changed appreciably, and users at Amazon.com still complain about breakdowns, even though the troublesome nozzle that was getting clogged has been redesigned. No Mosquito Magnet trap receives more than a three-star average rating (out of five) at Amazon.com, and many owners are angry that their Mosquito Magnet only lasted one season.

Mega-Catch offers an alternative to propane-fueled traps

The Mega-Catch line of mosquito traps provides an alternative for those who don't feel comfortable using propane (or for those who want to avoid the ongoing expense of propane tanks). The Mega-Catch mosquito trap doesn't produce CO2. Instead, it relies on a combination of octenol, an LED light system and a UV light to lure biting insects. Once mosquitoes approach the trap, a fan sucks them into a net. The most expensive model, the Mega-Catch Ultra (*Est. $500), includes an optional CO2 gas system (the CO2 must be purchased separately). Mega-Catch contends that the Ultra releases a purer form of CO2 than propane does; it uses the same CO2 cylinders used by the beverage industry. However, experts add that it's more difficult to find replacement compressed gas cylinders than to refill tanks with propane. The Mega-Catch Ultra claims to protect up to 1.5 acres. Close to 15 reviewers at Amazon.com rate it above average; most say it is relatively lightweight and effective.

The Mega-Catch Premier (*Est. $250) competes directly with Mosquito Magnet's Defender, the line's lowest-priced model. It claims to protect an acre and includes a 110/112-volt weatherproof transformer, a liquid catch container, a standard catch bag, an optional octenol fragrance strip and a 60-foot extension cord. About 30 reviewers at Amazon.com give the Premier an above-average rating, though some note that it took some trial-and-error testing to find the right placement and lure to use in their yards. The less expensive Mega-Catch Alpha mosquito trap (*Est. $100) can be mounted on a table and claims to protect half an acre. It contains only a catch bag. We found no objective testing (or reviews) for this model. We did see it in some tests, but only on the manufacturer's website, and we were unable to verify those tests as independent.

We found no recent research studies comparing Mega-Catch with Mosquito Magnet traps. One 2001 study, however, does compare two Mosquito Magnet models, the Pro and the Residential (now discontinued), with a Mega-Catch mosquito trap. In this study the Mega-Catch trap (no specific model is identified) caught more of most species of mosquitoes than the Mosquito Magnet traps did -- an exception was the Asian tiger mosquito. This study appears on the Mega-Catch website, but is also referenced in other publications on mosquito surveillance and control, which lends it some credence. In another study, conducted in 2002, both the Mega-Catch Ultra and the Mosquito Magnet Liberty captured 2.5 to three times more mosquitoes than the next-best trap, the Lentek Mosquito Trap. We hope to see more objective comparison tests conducted in the future.

SkeeterVac propane traps add cordless convenience, but can be costly to run

Another line of CO2 mosquito traps is the SkeeterVac series from Blue Rhino, owned by Ferrellgas, one of the United States' largest retail marketers of propane. SkeeterVacs use carbon dioxide, water vapor, heat, LED lighting and octenol to attract mosquitoes. On most models, a fan and vacuum system combined with sticky paper traps the mosquitoes. All SkeeterVacs are powered by the propane tank and one AA battery. The SkeeterVac SV3100 (*Est. $285) claims to control mosquitoes in areas up to an acre, and can use Lurex as well as CO2 as an attractant. About 10 Amazon.com reviewers give it an above-average rating overall. One reviewer says his SkeeterVac3100 performs well, but he estimates that maintenance and supplies cost about $35 monthly. Another reports that he has used Mosquito Magnets in the past, and that they attracted and killed more mosquitoes than the SkeeterVac does, but lasted only one season at most.

Owners posting reviews to Amazon.com are less happy with the SkeeterVac SV-15 (*Est. $200), which is reported to control a half-acre area. The SV-15 lacks the fan and vacuum system other models have. The SkeeterVac SV5100 (*Est. $400) is essentially the same as the SV3100, but with a higher CO2 output and a wheeled cart. According to the manufacturer, it can protect an area the size of a football field. Amazon.com reviewers give the SV5100 an above-average rating, praising Blue Rhino's customer service in particular. All three SkeeterVac models receive high ratings from users at NorthernExpress.com, an online retailer. The SkeeterVac SV-27, a previous Best Reviewed model, has been discontinued but can still be purchased from a few online sources.

Flowtron markets bug zappers, but also has a line of mosquito traps. Their Mosquito PowerTraps use carbon dioxide and octenol as attractants, along with heat, moisture and LED motion lighting. Lurex can be used as well, although a Lurex strip must be taped onto the outside of the trap. The PowerTraps require a propane tank and operate on electricity, but two of the models have a "Set and Forget" on-and-off feature to conserve propane and octenol. The MT-350 PowerTrap Plus (*Est. $350) claims to cover one-and-a-half acres and has a wheeled cart. The MT-275 PowerTrap (*Est. $400) and the MT-125 (*Est. $300) both have claims of covering at least an acre, but the MT-125 does not have a set-and-forget feature. Flowtron's non-propane PowerVac Galaxie PV-440A (*Est. $195) attracts mosquitoes with octenol, heat, light and moisture, but not carbon dioxide.

We weren't able to locate any expert reviews of Flowtron's PowerTraps. The full range is sold at Amazon.com, but the only model that has any owner reviews associated with it is the MT-350, which gets a well-below-average rating from four people. All of them complain that the trap only worked for one season. The PowerVac PV-440A is rated three out of five stars by over 10 users at Amazon.com. Those who are dissatisfied gripe about either its quality or its effectiveness, but several owners praise this trap here as well.

Kaz introduced a new trap called the Stinger/Nosquito Mosquito Vacuum (*Est. $280) in the spring of 2008 that uses propane to attract mosquitoes. Like some other traps, the Stinger mimics human breath by emitting CO2 and using chemical baits. The company claims the trap can control mosquitoes in areas up to one acre. We haven't found any expert reviews of this product. However, about 10 owner-reviewers at HomeDepot.com give it only 1.9 stars out of five. Several complain about its quality.

Koolatron, which bought out Lentek, now markets three Lentek mosquito traps: the Guardian (*Est. $320), the cordless Guardian Pro (*Est. $500) and the smaller Champion (*Est. $150). All utilize heat and light to attract mosquitoes; the two Guardian models also use CO2 and octenol. The Guardian mosquito traps are sold at Sears.com, but there are no owner reviews posted so far, nor could we find any expert reviews of any of these models, which are sometimes sold under the Lentek brand.