Propane-powered Mosquito Traps: What's the deal? Do they work?

 

I remember seeing these propane-powered mosquito traps at local big-box
hardware stores a few years ago, but I don't think I've seen any of them
lately.  They retailed for around $300 and up to $450 if I remember
correctly.  Some brand names include Skeeter Vac and Mosquito Magnet.

The premis is that they gave off a carbon-monoxide (or co2?) scent (by
burning propane) which would attract mosquitoes into a one-way bag where
they'd die.  Some of the claims were that one unit was good for about an
acre of coverage.

The reviews on Amazon are mixed.  Some claim it catches everything but
mosquitoes, some claim it works great on them.  Many don't like the
ongoing cost of replacing sticky paper.

Some employ some combination (or all?) of these methods:  heat, co2,
octenol, lactic acid, suction, blinking lights, sticky paper.

What's the verdict on these things?  Are they effective?

 

Yard Guy wrote:
...


I've seen no independent testing results that indicated they're more
effective than alternatives tested--which is pretty much why they're not
particularly widespread; it appears that most of the glowing
testimonials are either sponsored "research" (read advertising hype) or
self-justification of the $$ spent to avoid admitting have been suckered.

It's been a while since I looked but google found several studies a
while back from various land-grant universities, etc., that concluded
they're of minimal help if any...

--

 

dpb wrote:

That can only be because some werent that well designed.

Its been known for a long time now what attracts mosquitos.

 

Rod Speed wrote:

May be so; as noted the testing results I remember seeing didn't
demonstrate significantly higher preferential capture rates for the
devices.  Particularly, they weren't effective for anything even
remotely approaching the acreage coverage claims iirc...

There are likely newer studies available; others are welcome to pursue
it.  Seems like it was LSU extension maybe(???) that had some of the
most extensive that I saw previously but I'm not certain of that any
longer....

--

 

dpb wrote

No maybe about it.


significantly higher preferential capture rates for

Higher than what ?  If they capture anything,
they must be working better than no device at all.


Different matter entirely.


Sounds like you are comprehensively garbling what they actually said.