Mosquito Trap Review

Are mosquito traps effective?

Most mosquito traps on the market today attract mosquitoes using either carbon dioxide (CO2) or a combination of carbon dioxide and octenol (another chemical attractant). With some traps, the attractant Lurex (which is lactic-acid based) may be added; it is particularly effective in luring the Asian tiger mosquitoes prevalent in the southern United States. When they approach a trap, mosquitoes are captured by a vacuum mechanism or sticky paper. Mosquito traps are an option for those who live near mosquito-infested areas such as ponds and marshes, or who have a backyard mosquito issue that goes beyond the reach of personal insect repellents. Experts warn, however, that no trap will totally eliminate mosquitoes in a given location.

"No one knows exactly how effective traps are," says Daniel Kline, a research scientist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) who has studied mosquito traps for over 20 years. And he adds a word of caution: "I don't care what the mosquito control method is. You're going to get bitten." However, he adds that traps have both a short- and long-term effect because they kill egg-laying female mosquitoes and thus deplete the egg banks that create new generations of mosquitoes. "Egg banks can stay viable for five to 10 years," he adds. "So with traps, you're having an impact now and on future generations of mosquitoes."

We found just one comparative review of mosquito traps on ConsumerReports.org. Editors there tested three traps and an old-style bug zapper for effectiveness by releasing thousands of mosquitoes into an enclosure with the trap, then monitoring to see how many bugs were killed over a 20-hour period. The only model in that 2003 comparison that's still currently available is the Mosquito Magnet Liberty.

The overall lack of comparison reviews is not discouraging in this case, however, as many other excellent resources are readily available. Because some species of mosquitoes are disease vectors, experts have long studied ways to determine the number and species diversity of these pests in a given area, to aid in efforts to control the population. We found several tests conducted by USDA researchers that shed light on the best trap processes, types and usage for this purpose. One USDA test, for example, pits two Mosquito Magnet traps against a CDC Miniature Light Trap and two other non-commercial traps in Gainesville, Fla. In this study, Mosquito Magnet traps caught more mosquitoes than any other type of trap. Similarly, a USDA study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology reports that traps using counter-flow technology (emitting attractants and simultaneously sucking in mosquitoes) catch more mosquitoes than other traps, though they are not effective against every species. Owner reviews on Amazon.com and other commercial sites are also helpful, since they're written by homeowners rather than researchers in controlled settings.

Several manufacturers include links to "independent" tests on their websites, but these studies could not be confirmed by other sources, and some were conducted by researchers employed by the manufacturers themselves. As a result, we downgraded these testimonials in favor of impartial reviews. Also, a disproportionate number of reviews focus solely on the Mosquito Magnet line of mosquito traps; therefore we downgraded these reviews as well.

In January 2006, Mosquito Magnet cleaning tools, which help clean fuel lines, were recalled because they broke apart or leaked because they were getting clogged. At the time, Mosquito Magnet traps were made by American Biophysics Corp., but in 2007 its assets were sold to Woodstream Corp., which now makes the Mosquito Magnet traps.