Looking to get rid of pesky mosquitoes? Mosquito traps may be a tempting solution ‐ but they are not an effective long-term treatment.

These traps are designed to attract and kill mosquitoes by mimicking the smells and visual stimuli of humans and other live hosts. However, mosquito traps have minimal impact on getting rid of mosquitoes. In order for indoor mosquito traps to be effective, you need to know what type of mosquitoes are invading your home, how they hunt, and where to strategically place the mosquito traps indoors and on your property. With that in mind, let's break down why DIY mosquito traps may not be the best choice for your home.

How DIY mosquito traps work

DIY mosquito traps are simple devices that use attractants to lure mosquitoes into a container or a bag from which they cannot escape. Most mosquito traps involve using a sugary concoction, but they may also use CO2, octenol, heat, light, or a combination of chemicals to lure a mosquito in.

These traps are typically used as a fast, short-term solution and are not ideal for long-term prevention and treatment. In fact, when mosquito traps outdoors are used improperly, they can actually attract more mosquitoes to your yard and home. Additionally, mosquito traps will only get rid of mosquitoes within short distances of the trap, making it difficult to protect your entire yard or home.

Indoor and outdoor DIY mosquito traps

Here are the most common indoor and outdoor DIY mosquito traps.

Plastic bottle trap

This mosquito trap is made by cutting a plastic bottle in half, inverting the top half, and placing it inside the bottom half. The bottom half is then filled with water, sugar, yeast, and other attractants. The combination of sugar and yeast produces carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes. When the mosquitoes enter the trap, they get trapped in the water and drown.

The plastic bottle trap is a common DIY mosquito trap, but it requires regular maintenance. If not maintained correctly, the mosquitoes may actually breed in the container, and there is no guarantee that the mosquito won't fly back out of the bottle. Also, you run the risk of drawing even more mosquitoes to your yard by placing lures outside.

Mosquito fan traps

Another popular outdoor mosquito trap is the mosquito fan trap. The fan creates a vacuum that sucks mosquitoes into the container as they fly by. Once inside the trap, the mosquitoes get trapped in the mesh and die due to dehydration or starvation.

This mosquito trap is usually powered by a battery or electrical outlet, and it can be placed indoors or outdoors. However, while mosquito fan traps may seem like a simple and cost-effective solution, they are not very effective in trapping large numbers of mosquitoes in expansive areas. They can also be noisy and require regular maintenance.

UV light traps

The UV light trap is another type of indoor mosquito trap that uses ultraviolet light to attract mosquitoes. The UV light simulates the light given off by humans ‐ and when mosquitoes are lured to the trap, they are either sucked into a container or killed by an electric grid. Although UV light traps are typically used as a fast, short-term solution, they may actually attract other insects instead of trapping mosquitoes.

The Terminix® mosquito solution

While these DIY mosquito traps may seem like a more affordable and convenient solution, they often fall short in terms of effectiveness and long-term protection. If you want to protect your property for weeks at a time, contact your local Terminix technician. Terminix has a mosquito solution that begins working immediately to protect your family from mosquito bites. Our technicians have the expertise and knowledge to identify and target mosquito breeding sites, ultimately preventing future infestations.

When it comes to mosquitoes, DIY solutions are only temporary. Get long-term pest control you can count on with Terminix.