How to choose the best outdoor mosquito traps

Don't let mosquitos put a damper on your outdoor entertaining

The grazing platter is on the table, you’ve served up refreshments and the warm sun starts sinking behind the horizon as you settle in for an enjoyable evening. Moments later, your perfect evening outdoors is ruined by relentless buzzing and swatting as the biting begins. Rather than retiring indoors the moment the sun begins to set, don’t let biting bugs dictate your plans. An outdoor mosquito trap will help you reclaim your backyard – minus the sticky coating of toxic repellents.

How do outdoor mosquito traps work?

Outdoor mosquito traps are designed to lure mosquitoes by mimicking the appeal of humans or other mosquito-loving attractants and then quickly disposing of them. Using outdoor mosquito traps regularly (over 6-8 weeks) can reduce the mozzie population in your area by catching females (the ones that do all the biting) and preventing them from reproducing. While it’s impossible to eradicate mosquitoes from your backyard completely, regular use of outdoor mosquito traps can make a noticeable difference to the population of buzzers. Here we’ll look at the different options and their effectiveness.

CO₂ mosquito traps

Draw those pesky biters out by playing on their instincts. Mosquitoes are naturally attracted to carbon dioxide which alerts them to human presence. What's more, the biting female mosquitoes can detect CO₂ at a longer distance and are typically even more desperate to find a feast to help produce their eggs. A CO₂ trap like the Mega-Catch ULTRA Mosquito Trap lures mosquitoes in close and then either vacuums them up or catches them on a sticky surface.

The verdict – CO₂ traps are generally simple to operate and the gas is safe for everyone, including pets.

Ambient lighting or mosquito magnet

While there isn’t a single scientific explanation as to why night-time biters are attracted to light, many outdoor mosquito traps harness this with pulsating UV light on both the visible and invisible spectrums. Mosquitoes and other flying insects are drawn in and terminated with a satisfying snap!

The verdict – LED-based outdoor mosquito traps are great for killing bugs, but will also kill a whole lot of garden-friendly fellas, so are right for only some properties.

Coaxed by chemicals

Octenol (sometimes known as cow's breath in a can) is a mosquito attractant that mimics human breath, which some species of mozzies can detect from up to 100 feet away. Attractant-based outdoor mosquito traps can work well but have the disadvantage of losing effectiveness and requiring frequent replacement.

The verdict – Not all species of mosquitoes are drawn to Octenol, so it can be a fair bit of trial and error. Replacement of chemical strips can be costly, too.

The combined approach

Different outdoor mosquito traps have different merits, which is why using a combination of attractants is the best way to battle backyard biters. At Mega-Catch, we have the best outdoor traps on offer that use patented technology to attract, trap, kill and reduce current and future mosquito populations. With four models to choose from, you’ll be back outdoors barbecuing, entertaining and enjoying balmy evenings in no time. Check out the best outdoor mosquito traps on the market here.