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You can easily reduce the number of mosquitoes on your property with a plastic bottle trap that will attract and kill the mosquitos. The liquid in each trap will last about two weeks, and then, it can be easily replaced. [1] X Research source For increased effectiveness, place multiple traps around your house or property.
Steps
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Gather your materials. You will all of the items below to make a plastic bottle mosquito trap. Every item is easily found at your local grocery and hardware store.- An empty, plastic 2 liter bottle
- A marker or pen
- A box cutter
- A tape measure
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1-1 1/3 cup hot water
- 1 gram of yeast
- Measuring cup
- Tape (duct, scotch, or electrical are fine)
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Make a mark halfway down the plastic bottle. About 4 inches (10 cm) from the lid of the 2 liter bottle is about half of the bottle. You can use a ruler or measuring tape to find where 4 inches down the bottle is.- Extend the tape measure 4 inches.
- Hold the end of the tape up to the end of the bottle’s lid.
- Using your pen, make a mark where the tape measure ends; this is 4 inches.
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Draw a circle around the bottle 4 inches from the lid. You will be cutting the plastic bottle in half. The measurements here do not need to be exact, but drawing a marked guide line will be helpful. Using the pen mark you just drew as a guide, draw a circle around the bottle 4 inches down from the lid. This will guide you in cutting the bottle in half.
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Cut the plastic bottle in half. [2] X Research source Cut carefully along your marked guide line until the bottle is in two sections. Keep both parts of the bottle; you'll use them both to make the trap.
- Be careful of sharp plastic edges as you cut.
- The edges don’t have to be perfect, so don’t worry if you’re a bit off from the marked guide line.
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Pour 1-1 1/3 cups of hot water into the lower half of the bottle. Pour the water slowly; since it is hot, you do not want to splash any water because it could burn you. -
Pour 1/4 cup of brown sugar into the lower half of the bottle. Carefully pour the brown sugar from the measuring cup into the lower half of the bottle. Try not to spill any over the edges. Set the measuring cup aside once you’ve emptied it.
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Allow the mixture to cool. Set the bottle aside for however long it takes the hot water to cool. Twenty minutes should be long enough. -
Add 1 gram of yeast to the plastic bottle. You don’t have to stir the mixture together. The yeast will consume the sugar and produce carbon dioxide, which attracts the mosquitoes. [3] X Research source
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Hold the top half of the bottle upside down. The lid of the bottle will be facing downwards at this point. While you are holding the top half of the bottle upside down, grab the bottom half with your other hand. -
Place the top half upside down inside the bottom part of the bottle. [4] X Research source Push the top inside gently until the cut edges align. Ensure the top of the bottle is above the water line.
- Adult mosquito should have enough room to fly in the bottle and down the lid.
- If there is not enough room for them to fly in the bottle, empty a bit of the solution out.
- Now, insects can fly into the trap and die from suffocation or starvation.
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Secure the edges with tape. Use tape to keep the edges aligned. A few pieces of tape placed around the bottle will suffice to keep the edges in place.
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Place the trap on a sturdy surface near the mosquitos. If there is a room or area where mosquitos have infested, place the trap there. A steady surface is optimal, such as a desk, counter, or the floor. Keep the trap out of people’s way so it won’t get knocked over. -
Notice when the bottle is full of dead insects or is ineffective. Eventually, many mosquitos will die in the bottle, and you will have to clean the trap for it to be effective again. Even if there are not many mosquitos, the liquid in the trap eventually loses its effectiveness because all the yeast has finished eating the sugar and no longer attracts mosquitos; many sources say this takes two weeks. [5] X Research source- Use a calendar to keep track of when you will need to change the liquid.
- Change the liquid when the bottle is full of insects, even if two weeks have not passed.
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Change the yeast and sugar solution when necessary. Luckily, this mosquito trap is reusable! Disassemble the trap by removing the tape. Then, wash both halves of the trap by rinsing it with water. Next, fill it up with more of the mosquito trap liquid.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow can I prevent mosquitoes from breeding in tires?Joshua Bloom is a Pest Control Specialist and the Vice President of Operations of Standard Pest Management, a pest control company based in New York City. He has over 20 years of experience in the pest control industry and specializes in commercial and large facility pest control management. Standard Pest Control also specializes in ant, bed bug, cockroach, fly, and rodent control. Joshua is licensed by the NYSDEC (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation) for termite control.Get all of the standing water out of them, even if it's only a small amount like 1-2 oz (28-57 mL).
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Things You'll Need
- An empty, plastic 2 liter bottle
- A marker or a pen
- A box cutter
- A tape measure
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1-1 1/3 cup hot water
- 1 gram of yeast
- Measuring cup
- Tape (duct, scotch, or electrical are fine)
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about pest control, check out our in-depth interview with Wilson Christner .
References
- ↑ https://www.thriftyfun.com/Making-a-Mosquito-Trap-1.html
- ↑ https://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/homemade-mosquito-trap/
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/keep-mosquitoes-at-bay-with-this-plastic-bottle-bug-tr-1601146215
- ↑ https://diyprojects.com/homemade-mosquito-trap/
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/keep-mosquitoes-at-bay-with-this-plastic-bottle-bug-tr-1601146215
- Videos provided by ViralNova
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To make a plastic bottle mosquito trap, first mark halfway down a 2-liter (2-quart) plastic bottle with a marker. Then, carefully cut the bottle in half at that point using a box cutter. Heat 1 cup (240 mL) of water in the microwave until it’s steaming hot, then pour it into the bottom half of the plastic bottle. Next, add ¼ cup (50 g) of brown sugar to the water and let the mixture cool. When it's cooled, add a ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of yeast to the mixture. The yeast will eat the brown sugar and produce carbon dioxide, which will attract mosquitoes. Now, remove the cap from the top of the plastic bottle. Turn the top of the plastic bottle upside down and place it inside the bottom half of the bottle. Make sure the top of the bottle is above the water line. Tape the edges of the top half to the edges of the bottom half. Finally, place your mosquito trap in a spot where you’ve noticed mosquitoes. Replace the mixture in the trap every 2 weeks or whenever the bottle is full of mosquitoes. If you want to learn where to place your trap so it's the most effective, keep reading!
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- "Today the local news reported thousands of mosquitoes caught in traps. Great, but I need it in my yard now! Found your article and did not need to search further. Simple, easy and sounds very effective. Thank you!" ..." more
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