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When we talk about natural mosquito traps, we are usually talking about the inverted bottle model. Here are the steps to follow… The principle is the same for the wasp trap, but the mixture is different.
The tiger mosquito
Recognize the Aedes aegypti
- It measures less than a centimeter.
- It is black or brown and has white stripes or spots on its body and legs.
- It is most active in the morning and late afternoon.
- The tiger mosquito avoids direct sunlight.
- It usually does not emit a buzzing sound.
- The tiger mosquito bite is usually not painful and causes little or no itching.
- They feed on plant sap and human blood.
- Only the females bite because they need blood to produce their eggs after fertilization.
- The Aedes aegypti mosquito larva is very small, smaller than a grain of sand.
- Female tiger mosquitoes can lay up to 500 eggs and bite 300 people in their lifetime.
- The life span of a tiger mosquito is approximately 30 days, but can be as long as 45 days.
- Women are more vulnerable to tiger mosquito bites because of clothing that exposes more of the
- body, such as dresses.
- Because Aedes aegypti larvae are sensitive to light, tiger mosquitoes prefer moist, dark and shady environments.
Trap mosquitoes without moderation
Mosquitoes are vectors of disease. Vector-borne diseases transmitted by tiger mosquitoes include dengue, chikungunya, zika virus and yellow fever.
Tiger mosquito trap
Mosquito trap with an inverted bottle
Take an empty plastic mineral water bottle and remove its cap. With a cutter, cut it about 15 cm below the neck to make a funnel.
In the bottom part, place a liquid bait (see below) that will attract mosquitoes.
Attracted by the smell, they will enter the funnel but will not be able to get out and will drown. Finally, snap the top part – neck down to form the trap – into the bottom part. If you want to hang the trap, heat the tip of a knitting needle, make 2 or 4 holes on the top side of the rest of the bottle and thread string through them.
Bait
The bait must release CO2, as this is what attracts mosquitoes. Here is a very simple recipe to release as much CO2 as possible with water, sugar and yeast.
Ingredients:
- 200 ML of water
- 50 grams of brown cane sugar (no white sugar)
- 1 gram of baking powder (not chemical powder)
Step :
- Heat the water in a saucepan, and melt the sugar in it.
- Let cool, pour into the bottom of the trap
- Sprinkle the yeast, without mixing
- Close the trap
Location of the tiger mosquito trap
The most strategic location is in humid, shady areas, sheltered from the wind. But also inside the house, in the bedrooms and in the living room.
Empty the trap
After a while, your trap will become saturated with mosquitoes and will no longer work. You can feed the mosquitoes more to the birds.