Modern mosquito control favors utilizing a wide range of control methods in what has come to be known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM involves surveillance, source reduction, biological controls, larviciding, barrier sprays, public education, and when necessary, adulticiding (pesticides).
Dr Janet McAllister (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) emphasized the need for public awareness in identifying and eliminating anything that could be adding to a mosquito problem. Her web seminar “What is an Integrated Mosquito Management Program” refers to the importance of using products available on the domestic market such as mosquito repellents and mosquito traps.
Protective measures which include the use of products like deet or picaridin to repel mosquitoes, and wearing long sleeves and long pants during hours when mosquitoes are active can cut down on the number of bites and reduce the potential for disease transmission. Mosquitoes have a well deserved reputation as the most dangerous killers on the planet because of the diseases they spread with their bites. With their numbers on the increase because of global warming and pesticide resistance to name just a few, it’s now more important than ever to appreciate that mosquito control can start in your own back yard.
Controlling mosquitoes means quite simply, reducing the population. Educated homeowners can carry out their own source reduction activities, and significantly decrease mosquito populations with the use of mosquito traps. Mosquito traps are not a quick fix but are seen as a long term solution when used throughout the season, with documented studies (PPT) showing their ability to capture thousands in a single night. The capture of only a few mosquitoes daily will have a substantial impact on current and future mosquito populations as one female mosquito can lay up to 250 eggs at a time, and as many as 3000 eggs during her lifetime (depending on species)
However, with a plethora of mosquito control devices and services on the market, homeowners shouldn’t invest in any system whether it’s an ultrasonic device, bug zapper or trap before checking out advice and research from independent sources.
The star rating of each trap below is based on 5 stars for the top rating and one star for the lowest rating.
Trap Make/Model |
Performance |
Reliability |
After Sales Service |
Running Costs |
Safety |
Average Star Rating |
Mosquito Magnet Liberty Plus |
***** |
* |
** |
** |
*** |
2.6 |
Lentek MK14 Bite Shield Cordless Mosquito Trap |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
|
Mosquito Magnet Liberty |
**** |
* |
** |
** |
*** |
2.4 |
Mega-Catch ULTRA mosquito trap |
**** |
**** |
***** |
*** |
***** |
4.2 |
Lentek MK 12 Mosquito Trap Guardian |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flowtron MT-350 Mosquito Power Trap Plus |
** |
* |
** |
*** |
*** |
|
Flowtron MT-275 Mosquito Power Trap |
** |
* |
** |
*** |
*** |
|
Blue Rhino Skeetervac SV-5100 (replaces SV 35) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mosquito Magnet Defender |
*** |
* |
* |
** |
*** |
2 |
Nosquito Mosquito Vacuum by Kaz, Inc. |
? |
? |
? |
? |
*** |
|
SkeeterVac SV3100 (replaces SV-27) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mega-Catch PREMIER |
**** |
**** |
***** |
**** |
***** |
|
SkeeterVac SV-15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flowtron PV-440 Mosquito PowerVac |
** |
** |
** |
**** |
**** |
|
Mega-Catch ALPHA |
*** |
**** |
***** |
**** |
***** |
|
Lentek MK-05 Mosquito Trap Champion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dyna Trap |
*** |
** |
*** |
** |
- |
|
Note: ? = No rating for this product as currently no reviews available.