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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Effective mosquito trapping system is friendlier to kids, pets and beneficial insects
We bet you don’t know these facts about mosquitoes.
Keep reading. They may keep you from getting bitten.
Beware of the female mosquito. While male mosquitoes may be annoying, she’s the one who bites. She’s drawn by your scent. She needs the protein in your blood to reproduce. And yes, there are reasons why she (and all of her female friends) may prefer to feast on you more than anyone else in your family. Thankfully there are better options than hiding indoors. And there are safer options than spraying your yard, children and pets with chemicals.
“Nothing can ruin outdoor fun faster than mosquitoes. Their itchy bites are more than irritating. Mosquitoes can carry diseases harmful to you and your pets,” says mosquito expert Rob Scott. “These pesky biting insects are known to carry such deadly diseases as West Nile Virus and Dengue Fever, as well as the Zika virus which is linked to serious birth defects. Most pet owners also know that mosquitoes spread heartworms, which are especially dangerous for dogs.”
What are your options?
Spray your yard with chemicals. “Sprays don’t target just the females. Plus you need to be cautious,” warns Scott. “You don’t want to use insecticides around beneficial insects, such as bees and butterflies. Chemicals also need to dry completely before they are safe to the touch. And they need to be re-applied regularly to be effective.”
Use a bug zapper. “These devices are better at killing innocent moths than mosquitoes. That’s partly because mosquitoes are more attracted to certain scents than they are to light.”
Use mosquito’s own behaviors to trap and kill them. “A scientifically proven device called the Mosquito Magnet is available at most hardware and big box stores. It silently lures female mosquitoes into a trap using carbon dioxide which is scented with a special mosquito attractant. As mosquitoes fly toward the trap, they are essentially vacuumed into a bag where they dehydrate and die. So you’ll see proof that it’s working. This safe device kills mosquitoes continually for about three weeks on a tank of propane, covers about an acre, and won’t kill beneficial insects.”
Bet you didn’t know …
Mosquitoes can’t see well. “They rely on the carbon dioxide you exhale in order to locate you. That’s why you want to place your carbon dioxide trap about 30 to 40 feet away from people. You don’t want to compete with the trap for their attention.”
Mosquitoes must lay their eggs on standing water. “If you capture the female before she makes it to water, she can’t lay her eggs. This helps significantly reduce the mosquito population in your yard.”
Mosquitos in different regions are drawn to different scents. “Lactic acid, for example, works best for some mosquitoes in the south. The wrong scent may repel mosquitoes from your trap instead of attract them.”
Some people really are more attractive to mosquitoes than others. “It’s not your imagination. Everyone has a unique chemical make-up, and some people are just more irresistible to female mosquitoes. Wearing dark colors and perfume may also get their attention.”
Mosquitoes fly upwind to feast. “Take advantage of this by also placing your trap upwind.”
Female mosquitoes can lay up to 300 eggs at once. “This is why killing the adults before they can get to standing water is such an effective way to decrease the mosquito population. A lot of people remember to remove standing water from flower pots and old tires, but they forget about the water trapped in clogged gutters. So clean those gutters! Also, change out water in bird baths once or twice a week.”
Mosquitoes mature in as little as four days. “Something that was an egg on Wednesday could be biting you on Saturday. A continuous treatment, working 24/7, is recommended for managing the mosquito population.”
Scott says the Mosquito Magnet Patriot Plus, the mosquito trap of choice for homeowners and commercial businesses, is easy to set up. “It’s just three easy steps to assemble, and attaches to the same type of propane tank you probably already use for your gas grill.”
Mosquito Magnet is widely available at major retailers including Home Depot. Lowe’s, Ace Hardware and Amazon.com. To learn more about mosquito-proofing your yard, visit www.mosquitomagnet.com.
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