Finally a homemade mosquito trap that REALLY works

What attracts mosquitoes to us? 

Mosquitoes are said to be able to detect our presence from more than 10 metres away thanks to the carbon dioxide we release into the air when we breathe. They would also use their sight to identify us as a dense mass from which CO2 could escape and get a little closer to us. They would also use their thermal detection capabilities to make sure that we are really a living being. It is also thanks to them that they detect the ideal place to bite us.

Many commercial mosquito traps use heat and carbon dioxide from burning propane to attract mosquitoes.

The operating principle of this homemade trap.

This mosquito trap is very simple. Made from an ordinary plastic bottle, it contains a solution of sugar and yeasts which, by feeding on the sugar, produce carbon dioxide which attracts mosquitoes. The latter descend along the funnel and then find themselves trapped, flying along the walls of the bottle and being, for the most part, unable to return through the funnel in the other direction. They then get tired and end up falling into the liquid and drowning in it.

On the other hand, covering the bottle with a sheet of dark, opaque Canson paper helps to give it a more credible prey appearance.

The advantage of this device is that it does not contain  chemicals  that are dangerous to the health of children and animals. It is also cheap and easy to make.

At night, mosquitoes will emerge from their hiding places in search of potential prey, and if they smelled the CO2 trail from the trap before yours, they would likely follow it and be led to their doom.

Making the mosquito trap 

To make this trap, you will need the following materials:

— An empty plastic bottle with a capacity of two liters, without the lid

— A cutter or scissors

– Scotch tape

— Black canson paper

— 4 tablespoons brown sugar

– 1 glass of water 

— 1 sachet of active dry yeast

Here’s how to make your trap:

1. Cut the bottle

Using the cutter or scissors, cut the plastic bottle in half as shown in the following photo:

2. assemble

Place the bottom part upright and then insert the top part, which will act as a funnel, upside down into the body of the bottle.

Push the funnel down far enough to leave enough space between the bottom of the trap and the lowest point of the neck to hold one or two cups of water and an air space.

3. Seal the assembly

Secure the two parts of the trap with tape so that they stay in place, but also to eliminate any possible escape routes for mosquitoes.

Then, wrap the trap with the sheet of black canson paper. This sheet also helps to block the sun’s rays and preserve the sugar and yeast for longer by slowing their degradation.

4. Prepare the bait

Stir the sugar into boiling water until it dissolves completely. Allow to cool until the solution reaches a temperature of about 50 degrees. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast; if it is too cold, the latter will not activate completely. Gently add the yeast and mix well, then pour everything into the trap.

Other ways to get rid of mosquitoes

In your mosquito hunt and for maximum effectiveness, you can use other methods besides this trap, of which here are some examples:

— Install mosquito nets around beds and on doors and windows.

— Wear long clothing to limit skin exposure.

— Avoid dark clothing because it stores heat, which is not the best way to keep mosquitoes away.

— Use  natural repellents  to apply to your skin such as essential oils (be careful not to overdose and dilute them in a carrier oil or water!) of citronella, mint, cinnamon or castor oil that you can mix with a base  of olive oil  , witch hazel or sunflower oil.