Bzzzz-zzz-ZZZZ-zzzzzz...........Chemical-free Mosquito Trapping

Belinda Kersten

A while back I half-watched a kiddies science show on how to build a home-made mosquito trap. What I remembered from it was that mosquitoes are attracted to the CO2 we breathe out and emit through our pores, and the ‘trap’ creates CO2 attracting mozzies to IT instead of YOU.
Unfortunately I didn’t pay too much attention then, as the mozzie problem wasn’t as dire in our house at it is this summer. The little ‘suckers’ have come out in full force and after spraying enough mosquito repellent on ourselves to kill a small tribe of pygmies in a tropical rain forest, I wished I could remember the mosquito trap recipe the ‘bad-Einstein-lookalike’ TV scientist demonstrated.

Luckily... All was not lost. Google came to the rescue once again and here follows the recipe for a chemical free, environmentally friendly ‘mosquito trap’:

Supplies:

• 1 x 2 litre soda bottle
• A sharp knife
• Black paper/cardboard
• Broad tape
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 2 cups cool water
• 1 tsp active dry yeast (about 1 sachet)

Directions:

• Take the 2 litre soda bottle and cut the top off, just below where it starts to taper into the bottle neck.
• Bring the 1 cup of water to the boil and add the sugar into the boiling water.
• Once the sugar is dissolved completely, remove the pot from the stove and stir in the 2 cups of cool water, stir well.
• The sugar syrup must be a luke warm temperature, if not, allow to cool a little.
• Add the active dry yeast, no need to stir, and put the mixture in the bottom half of the 2 litre soda bottle.
• Turn the top half of the bottle upside down and insert into the bottom half of the bottle,
• Cover the bottom half with the black paper/card and tape the top edges (the bottom half of the bottle, the inverted top part of the bottle and the paper/card) so that it is all properly sealed.

The mosquitoes are now attracted to the CO2 created by the yeast, (and the dark humidity) and once they fly into the bottle, they can’t get out. The sugar syrup also seems to keep them there as they are stuck to the sides of the bottle. Place your trap in a dark corner for 2 weeks, you’ll see how effective it is. You’ll have to replace the sugar-water and yeast solution every 2 weeks or so.