DIY Homemade Mosquito Trap : Facts

Story:

Modern technology has brought us many benefits, including mosquito traps that cost hundreds of dollars, but sometimes we overlook simple solutions to difficult challenges such as mosquito control. When it comes to controlling pests, research tends to focus on chemicals or concepts that can be patented. Unless someone can make a profit from an idea, the public may never become aware of it.

HOMEMADE MOSQUITO TRAP.

Items needed:

200 ml water
50 grams of brown sugar
1 gram of yeast
2-liter plastic bottle

Or US conversion:

1 cup of water
1/4 cup of brown sugar

HOW:

1. Cut the plastic bottle in half.
2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.
3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes.
4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle, taping them together if desired.
5. Wrap the bottle with something black, leaving the top uncovered, and place it outside in an area away from your normal gathering area. (Mosquitoes are also drawn to the color black.)
Change the solution every 2 weeks for continuous control.

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Analysis:

This is a Do It Yourself (DIY) homemade, natural mosquito trap that has been suggested online since many years. The procedure comprises of a plastic bottle made as a trap for mosquitoes by using brown sugar and yeast in water as described above. Although the chemical combination can attract certain mosquitoes to make the trap work, there have been mixed results.

Origin of the Technique

This DIY homemade mosquito trap originated from a class project of an elementary school in Taipei, Taiwan. The detailed instructions to prepare the mosquito trap were posted on Flickr.com (in Chinese) in 2006, from where the DIY technique picked up.

The Science Behind

When Yeast is added to the Brown Sugar, the yeast eats the sugar and fermentation takes place, giving off carbon dioxide (CO2). Studies have shown that mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide, so in theory, this trap should work.

Does it Work?

We have seen there are mixed reports about the efficacy of this homemade, natural mosquito trap. While some people who tried it have reported catching good to small number of mosquitoes, the trap did not work for others. The reason lies in the types of mosquitoes in a particular environment and the varied factors that attract mosquitoes.

It appears like the trap is effective only for some types of mosquitoes. Moreover, there are many other factors that influence the breeding and attraction of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes have sensors that detect warmth, odor and movement, also some chemicals released by plants and humans (like in sweat). Note that mosquitoes are attracted to smelly socks, worn clothes, bedding — even in the absence of CO2. So this plastic bottle mosquito trap using yeast and brown sugar in water may work in certain cases and may not work in other environments. Some people who used the trap have also complained that it attracted ants.

Conclusion

Mosquitoes have complex methods of detecting their hosts and different types of mosquitoes react to different stimuli. If the conditions are in your favor, the carbon dioxide emitted from the DIY homemade trap can attract good number of mosquitoes. But again, you need to change the preparation after couple of weeks, and it can attract other pests as well. On the other hand, the trap might not work in some unfavorable conditions.

To avoid mosquito trouble, one must keep his surroundings clean, avoid any kind of water stagnation, dress up in full, and if needed, a good quality repellent application onto the body will be useful.