How Mosquito Magnets Work

Here's something a lot of people don't know: female mosquitoes only seek blood when they're about to lay eggs - male mosquitoes never do.  The rest of their lives both male and female mosquitoes eat primarily plant-based materials such as nectar. Keeping the biting insect population in check, though, depends on keeping those females from laying tons of eggs.  Combine the idea that getting bitten by an insect is extremely annoying with the fact that getting bitten is a pretty good indication that lots of baby biting insects are on the way, and it's easy to see why controlling biting insects is a big deal to many homeowners.

Insect Behavior and the Mosquito Magnet

Mosquitoes, black flies, no-see-ums, and similar predators can ruin an afternoon outdoors, but these same insects also carry potentially deadly diseases.Unfortunately, we attract pests every time we breathe - literally: insects are attracted to humans by the carbon dioxide (CO2) we exhale.

The Mosquito Magnet catalytically converts propane from its to CO2, heat, and moisture. Hungry female mosquitoes - out for blood - mistake this combination for human breathing and investigate, then get vacuumed into the trap where they dehydrate and die within 24 hours.

But what about the males, you ask?  Good question, but here's the thing:  even if conditions are perfect (which they never are) mosquitoes only live about a week or two.  Therefore, if you largely eliminate the possibility of new generations of biting insects by eliminating the egg-laying females, then you will largely eliminate the total biting insect population in a relatively short time period.  When placed properly in your yard or on your property, the trap begins catching mosquitoes and other biting insects immediately.  You can expect noticeable results from the Mosquito Magnet in roughly 7 to 10 days, and dramatic reduction in the total biting insect population over a 4-6 week period of continuous use.

But what about the insects we enjoy like butterflies, moths, bees, ladybugs, and the like?  That's the beauty of this kind of trap.  The catalytic conversion of propane into CO₂ only attracts blood-seeking insects, so the more likeable bug residents of your outdoor area won't be attracted to the trap and won't be affected by its presence.

Getting Specific About Trap Features

Here are a few elements common to every Mosquito Magnet model insect trap:

• No open flame
• Patented Counterflow technology
• All-weather, round-the-clock performance
• Silent, odorless operation
• 24-hour protection from mosquitoes, no-see-ums, and black flies

The Mosquito Magnet is the only biting insect abatement system with patented Counterflow Technology (tm) that will virtually eliminate the mosquito population in your yard.

The patented Counterflow Technology used exclusively in Mosquito Magnets creates a plume of carbon dioxide (CO₂), heat, and moisture that is emitted from the inner attractant tube, while the flared outer tube vacuums along the top of the CO₂ plume without vacuuming up any of the CO₂.

As the blood-seeking insect reaches the attractant tube, it realizes it can't get a blood meal. Once it makes that discovery, it won't be interested in checking out the trap any further.  Here's the interesting part, though.  Mosquitoes won't turn downwards - it's just a fact of insect behavior.  They won't fly across the carbon dioxide stream either, because it represents more stimulation than they're interested in.  By process of elimination, then, the insect is forced to turn upwards, where it's caught in the vacuum of the suction tube. At this point it is vacuumed into a net, where it dehydrates and dies within 24 hours.

That's a pretty ingenious system by almost any standards.  And that system keeps working for you 24 hours a day.  No noise, no open flames, and no odor - just reliable, consistent reduction in the population of annoying biting insects in your outdoor area.

Other Considerations

There are several things to factor into your decision about whether or not a Mosquito Magnet is right for you and what model is best suited to your purposes.  You can take a quick look at several different models on this page to do some preliminary, side-by-side comparison concerning coverage area, price, and specific features.  Here are some additional circumstances to think about and online resources to help you successfully navigate your mosquito control plans:

1. Optimizing trap placement - Finding the best spot to locate your trap is critical in terms of maximizing your results.  Click here to learn more about where you should place your trap and why, as well as finding out more about where mosquitoes live and breed.
2. Maintenance and Storage - This is a really important section.  Off season storage, increasing catch rates, and the most effective methods of regular upkeep are all addressed here in the maintenance and storage section.
3. Additional Attractants - People in some areas find that they get better overall results by adding specialized attractants to their Mosquito Magnet.  Find out how things like geographic region, climate, and the type of pest you're targeting can affect the type of attractant you may need to add to your bug-fighting arsenal.

As you can see, there are all sorts of things to think about when you start getting serious about taking back your yard, your farm, or any other outdoor area you've lost to annoying bugs.  There are all sorts of Mosquito Magnet trap models, features, and accessories that can help you tailor the perfect solution for your problem.  Finding out the facts and taking your circumstances and your budget into account should provide the foundation you need to find the absolute best product for your purposes quickly and conveniently.