Let’s see how to eliminate annoying mosquitoes with a homemade trap, simple to make and extremely effective.DIY mosquito trap
The wetlands surrounding our property are the ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. When the summer sun begins to set, hordes of these hungry pests turn a pleasant evening on the patio into a nightmare. To combat attacks by these insects, we often light citronella candles and spray a little insect repellent. But have you ever thought about making a homemade mosquito trap?
Mosquitoes find their victims by tracking the carbon dioxide we exhale. Many commercial traps attract insects by burning propane to produce carbon dioxide, thereby attracting these insects. While carbon dioxide attracts mosquitoes to you as a target, heat is likely how they determine where to bite you. Mosquitoes often choose areas of the body where blood is close to the surface. These are areas such as the forehead, wrists, elbows and neck.
But there is another method of making a mosquito trap that generates a stream of carbon dioxide that attracts and traps them. Let’s see the details below.
How does this homemade mosquito trap work?
This simple trap is made from a plastic bottle. Yeast and sugar bait are placed inside the bottle to create a flow of carbon dioxide that attracts insects into the trap.
What do you need:
- Empty 2 liter plastic bottle or similar sized container.
- Razor knife.
- Scotch.
- 1/4 cup brown sugar.
- 1 cup of hot water.
- 1 sachet of active dry yeast.
Method:
With the knife, cut the top of the bottle just below the area where the neck of the bottle flares out to meet the main part of the bottle.
Once you cut off the top of the bottle, you have two pieces that can be rearranged to create the trap: the bottom cylinder and the bottleneck.
Remove the cap from the neck of the bottle. turn the neck of the bottle over and insert it into the cylinder, like a funnel.
Do not push the funnel all the way to the bottom of the bottle. Leave enough space between the neck of the bottle and the bottom to add about a cup of liquid and an air space between the surface of the liquid and the lowest point of the funnel.
Use tape to secure the funnel. The tape not only holds the funnel in place, but it also seals the edges of the funnel with the edges of the bottle. This makes it more difficult for insects that enter the mosquito trap to escape.
Preparing the mosquito bait:
Add 1/4 cup brown sugar to 1 cup boiling water. Mix well until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Allow the mixture to cool to 50°C. Be careful, if it’s too hot, the high temperature will kill the yeast. If it is too cold, the yeast will not fully activate.
When the sugar mixture reaches the right temperature, gently stir in the yeast. Pour the mixture into the bottle (the inverted funnel makes this easier) and the mosquito trap is ready.
Operation:
The yeast and brown sugar create a flow of carbon dioxide that attracts insects into the trap. Hungry mosquitoes follow the trail in the bottle and descend through the funnel. When they realize there is no food, they fly along the surface of the brown sugar mixture until they reach the sides of the bottle. The bugs then fly to the side of the bottle, but their escape is blocked by the upside-down funnel (hence the reason to seal the edges with tape). The little insects are trapped!
The mosquitoes get tired and fall into the liquid to drown. Sure, a few lucky mosquitoes may find their way through the funnel’s narrow entrance to freedom (and bite again another day), but most insects that enter the trap die there.