Best Mosquito Traps

Mosquito Magnet traps are most effective, but durability is a concern

Most research studies have focused exclusively on the Mosquito Magnet line of mosquito traps, comparing them with non-commercial traps used for surveillance purposes by government entities such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Mosquito Magnet traps were among the first of the new commercial traps to hit the marketplace, and they consistently outperform the competition in the number and species diversity of mosquitoes captured. In one Florida study, a set of Mosquito Magnet traps caught more than 91,000 mosquitoes representing 18 species, as well as more than two 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 trap types. Mosquito Magnet traps all use the same basic technology: carbon dioxide (CO2) and heat are generated by burning propane, and the traps also include a cartridge of octenol. Mosquito Magnets allow the use of the attractant Lurex as well, although it must be bought separately. 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's recommended that the net be emptied every two to three weeks, and it must be replaced periodically.

Last year's Best Reviewed model, the Mosquito Magnet Liberty, has been discontinued and replaced by the less expensive Mosquito Magnet Patriot (*Est. $300). According to the manufacturer, improved engineering allows the Patriot, which is smaller in size, to protect the same one-acre area that the Liberty covered. (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.) The Defender (*Est. $280) remains Mosquito Magnet's smallest trap, made for yards a half-acre in size or smaller. Both the Mosquito Magnet Defender and the Patriot have 50-foot power cords, and their propane tanks and octenol lures must be replaced about every three weeks.

Two more expensive models, the Mosquito Magnet Independence (*Est. $550) and Executive (*Est. $700), are cordless mosquito traps that claim to cover up to an acre. The Independence uses four C batteries; 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 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. The Mosquito Magnet Executive also 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 Patriot as a Best Reviewed trap because it can be expected to perform similarly to its predecessor, the Liberty. The Liberty had been tested more often, and had performed better in tests, than the other Mosquito Magnet models. If you want to be free of a cord, the Mosquito Magnet Independence is an option, though it's more expensive and its batteries are not rechargeable.

One expert review comes from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, which evaluated the Mosquito Magnet and determined that it was helpful in collecting mosquitoes for its research studies. It also states, however, that the manufacturer's claims of controlling a mosquito population "could not be corroborated." Other research studies have included an experimental Mosquito Magnet trap or another Mosquito Magnet model, and these have found the traps to be effective at trapping mosquitoes, but again, unable to control or eliminate the mosquito population in a given area.

Dozens of Epinions.com and Amazon.com contributors say the Mosquito Magnet Liberty was effective -- when it actually worked.  A common complaint lodged in user reviewers is that Mosquito Magnet traps are expensive to maintain and vulnerable to breakdowns. At present, there are less than a handful of user reviews of the Patriot model, since it is new to the market. No Mosquito Magnet trap receives more than a 2.5-star average rating (out of 5) at Amazon.com, and many owners posting feedback are angry that their Mosquito Magnet trap only lasted one season.

Mega-Catch: An alternative to propane-fueled mosquito traps

The Mega-Catch line of mosquito traps provides an alternative for those who don't want to use propane. 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 Mega-Catch Premier (*Est. $250) claims to protect an acre and includes a 110/12-volt weatherproof transformer, a liquid catch container, a standard catch bag, an optional octenol fragrance strip and a 60-foot extension cord. Mega-Catch also now offers an optional Combo Lure that contains octenol and a lactic acid-based substance similar to Lurex. Traps baited with Lurex are better able to attract the Asian tiger mosquito, according to tests.

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.

Over 30 reviewers at Amazon.com give the Mega-Catch Premier an above-average rating, though some note that it took some trial-and-error testing to find the best placement and lure to use in their yards. One owner in Houston writes, "The first couple of weeks nothing really changed, but after that the mozzy population seemed to decline and now we seem to be safe!" 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, and we found no objective testing (or reviews) for this model. We did see it in some tests, but only one is posted on the manufacturer's website, and we were unable to verify them as independent.

We found no recent research comparing Mega-Catch with Mosquito Magnet traps. One 2004 study, however, compares two Mega-Catch traps, the Premier and the Alpha, with nine other mosquito traps including the Mosquito Magnet Defender, in North Queensland, Australia. In this study, both Mega-Catch traps caught more mosquitoes than the Mosquito Magnet did. This study appears only on the Mega-Catch website, however. In another study, conducted by the Public Health Entomology Research & Education Center (PHEREC) of Florida A&M University in 2002, both the Mega-Catch Ultra and the Mosquito Magnet Liberty (now discontinued) 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.

Cordless SkeeterVac propane traps add 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 attract mosquitoes using carbon dioxide, water vapor, heat, LED lighting, and on the 3100 and 5100 models, optional chemical attractants. You can control the amount of the chemical lures the trap releases over a given period as well. On most models, a fan and vacuum system combined with sticky paper traps the mosquitoes. All SkeeterVacs are powered by the propane tank and a single AA battery.

The SkeeterVac SV3100 (*Est. $300) claims to control mosquitoes in areas up to an acre, and can use Lurex or octenol -- as well as CO2 -- as an attractant. About 20 Amazon.com reviewers contribute to the SV3100's average overall rating of 4 stars out of 5. One reviewer says his SkeeterVac 3100 is effective, but he estimates that maintenance and supplies cost about $35 a month. Another reports that he has used Mosquito Magnets in the past, but while they attracted and killed more mosquitoes than the SkeeterVac, they didn't last more than one season.  

Amazon.com user reviewers are less happy with the SkeeterVac SV15 (*Est. $200), which is said to control a half-acre area. The SV15 lacks the fan and vacuum system other models have. The SkeeterVac SV5100 (*Est. $380) 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 online retailer NorthlineExpress.com.

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

We didn't locate any expert reviews of Flowtron's PowerTrap mosquito traps. The full range is sold at Amazon.com, but each gets well-below-average ratings from a handful of reviewers. Owners complain that the PowerTraps only worked for one season. The PV-440A Galaxie PowerVac is rated 3 out of 5 stars by over 10 Amazon users. Those expressing dissatisfaction gripe about either its quality or its effectiveness, but several owners praise this trap as well.

Koolatron, which bought out Lentek, now markets three mosquito traps: the Guardian MK12 (*Est. $300), the cordless Guardian Pro MK14 also sold as the Bite Shield (*Est. $400) and the smaller Champion MK05 (*Est. $120). All utilize heat and light to attract mosquitoes; the two Guardian models also use CO2 and octenol. The Guardian mosquito traps are sold at Home Depot.com and Sears.com, but there are very few owner reviews posted at this time, and we found no expert reviews covering any of these models.