Mosquito Magnet®

Low catch or no catch

The following are tips to help you get a better catch

Check Placement

Having proper placement is essential to having a good catch. The Mosquito Magnet® must be placed in a spot in the yard away from the area you want to protect. It must also be placed in the yard where the prevailing winds come from.

The recommended distance is 30 to 40 feet away from people areas.

Placement exampleFor example if the prevailing winds are moving from east to west, you need to place the Mosquito Magnet® in the eastern part of the yard. The reason for this is the prevailing winds will take the CO2 and the attractant up wind towards the area you want to protect. The mosquitoes will fly into the wind toward what they think is a blood meal. When they get close to the trap, they realize there is no blood meal and their instincts tell them to kick their legs back and fly upwards. It is at this point they will hit the trumpet shaped part under the unit and the vacuum draws them into the net where they will dehydrate within 24 to 48 hours.

You should begin noticing results within 7-10 days. After 4-6 weeks of continuous use, the female mosquitoes that live in and around your yard will be captured, thereby reducing the mosquito population. After this happens you will begin to see a reduction in your mosquito catch.

For additional assistance click here for the Interactive Placement Assistant.

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Is there a sufficient vacuum?

lf there is not sufficient vacuum, the trap will not be able to draw the mosquitoes into the net. Here is a list of some of the possible causes of a low vacuum.

  • Low temperature - If the temperature is not in the operating zone then the fan will not spin as fast, causing a low vacuum.
  • Something clogging the air passages - If something is clogging the air passages then there will be a reduced vacuum. Check the opening of the trumpet, the large fan and heat sink. Make sure these areas are free of small animals, cobwebs and other debris.
  • Large Fan running slow or not spinning - As mentioned before if there is low temperature the large fan may not spin as fast. Also if the large fan is damaged or the Thermoelectric Generator are damaged, there will be insufficient power to run the fan.
  • Vacuum leak - If there is a vacuum leak it will cause a reduction in vacuum. The following describes where the gaskets are located. This does not apply to all traps
    • Commercial Pro - Check to see if the door is closed and that the gasket around the door is not damaged. Also check the upper housing for cracks and the housing gasket that is under the power pack. Make sure there are no cracks, rips or tears that may cause a reduction in vacuum. The Gasket is
    • Freedom - Swing the housing open and look under where the power pack sits. Click Here to see where the gasket is.
  • Clogged net- Examine the net for rips and clogs. They are re-usable to a point. If you have large catches and you are emptying the net 2 to 3 times a month, then you may need to change the net more frequently.
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Is there any/enough CO2 being emitted from the trap?

Inside of power pack there is a small fan, if that is spinning slow or not spinning will reduce the amount of CO2 that is being emitted from the trap.
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Is the CO2 being emitted from the trap the correct temperature?

The CO2 the Mosquito Magnet® is outputting is approximately the temperature of human breath. To check if it is running around the correct temperature, hold your hand under the plume tube to see if it is the same as if you were to breath heavily into your hand.

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I was getting a good catch and now I am not?

The first thing you should ask yourself when troubleshooting a catch rate problem is, "Am I getting bitten by mosquitoes?". If you have been getting a good catch and the amount of mosquitoes being caught has reduced, it might be that the mosquito breeding cycle has been interrupted.

Only female mosquitoes are attracted to the Mosquito Magnet®. Over the course of time, the population declines and the breeding cycle is interrupted.

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Should I be using the octenol?

To determine which attractant you should be using, click here to view our Attractants 101 section.

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Other important information.

For best results, use the following guidelines for proper placement:
  1. Determine where the mosquitoes are breeding - The Mosquito Magnet® must be located between the breeding areas (standing water, bushes) and the 'people areas' (patio, deck) in order to capture the mosquitoes at their source, BEFORE they get to you.
  2. Place the trap away from people areas - Place the trap as close to the breeding areas and as far away from the activity as possible. Placing the trap away from people areas so the biting insects will be attracted to the trap and not to you.
  3. Place the trap upwind from the mosquito breeding area - Mosquitoes fly upwind looking for a blood meal (you). After a female mosquito bites a human, its weight is doubled; the mosquito will float back downwind to the resting area.
  4. Place the trap in an open area, not in high grass or plants - CO2 is heavier than air, therefore it stays close to the ground. The mosquitoes will follow the CO2 plume to the trap. If its placed in high grass the flow of the plume will be impeded and the mosquitoes won't find it ...they'll find you!
  5. Place trap in the shade - Mosquitoes don't like the heat of the direct sun. As the sun sets, mosquitoes come out of their resting places.

    Although we realize that all yards are not the same, and it may be impossible for some people to meet all of the above guidelines, we recommend that you try and meet as many as possible. If you have questions about trap placement, try our Interactive Placement Assistant.
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Interactive Placement Assistant

For interactive assistance with placement click here for help.
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