Best Reviewed
Mosquito Traps
- Most effective mosquito trap Mosquito Magnet Patriot *Est. $300
- Propane-alternative mosquito trap Mega-Catch Premier *Est. $250
- Cordless mosquito trap SkeeterVac SV3100 *Est. $300
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- Doesn't use propane
- CO2 cylinder can be used
- Programmable timer
- Placement limited by electrical cord
- Lights can attract moths
- Expensive
The Mega-Catch Ultra doesn't use propane, which means lower long-term costs. It employs the chemical octenol as well as LED and ultraviolet lights to attract mosquitoes, and comes with a 60-foot electrical cord for power. Some users say the Mega-Catch snags more moths than mosquitoes, but the lights can be disconnected to prevent this. If you live in the South, you'll need a trap that can use Lurex to attract Asian tiger mosquitoes. For that, you may want to consider the Mosquito Magnet Liberty (*Est. $500), which is priced around the same as the Mega-Catch Ultra. (Note that the Liberty has been discontinued, though, so at some point they will no longer be available at retailers.)
We found a credible comparative study conducted at Florida A&M University that included the Mega-Catch Ultra and seven other commercial traps. Another study by a U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher pits an unspecified Mega-Catch trap against two earlier models of the Mosquito Magnet. Owner reviews are posted at Amazon.com and UberGizmo.com.
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Our Sources
1. Public Health Entomology Research and Education Center, Florida A&M University
This university study compares the performance of eight commercial traps. Both the Mosquito Mega-Catch Ultra and the Mosquito Magnet Liberty capture up to three times more mosquitoes than the next-best trap. The Mega-Catch Ultra catches members of 12 species, second-best of any trap in the evaluation.
Review: Comparison of Mosquito Species and Numbers Caught in Eight Commercial Mosquito Traps, J. P. Smith, J. Walsh and R. Huss, 2003
2. Mega-Catch
This U.S. Department of Agriculture study compares two Mosquito Magnet models, the Pro and the Residential (now discontinued), with a Mega-Catch mosquito trap. The Mega-Catch trap (no specific model is identified) catches more species of mosquitoes than the Mosquito Magnet traps does; an exception was the Asian tiger mosquito. This report is reprinted on the Mega-Catch website, so its provenance is suspect.
Review: Large Cage and Field Comparison Tests of Mega-Catch and Mosquito Magnet Traps, Daniel L. Kline, 2001
3. Amazon.com
About 15 owner reviews give the Mega-Catch Ultra an above-average score, although a couple of reviews note that it doesn't attract the Asian tiger mosquito.
Review: Mega-Catch Ultra Mosquito Trap, Contributors to Amazon.com
There are almost 10 user comments under a brief blurb, though a few date back to 2007. Most are positive, though there are some complaints that the fan had to be replaced after one season.
Review: Mosquito Mega-Catch Hits One Back, Contributors to UberGizmo.com
