Doomed Bugs > Mosquito Control Information > Mosquito Magnet Trap Placement

Mosquito Magnet Trap Placement

In order to get the most out of your Mosquito Magnet trap, you need to position it in the right place. With a correctly positioned trap, you will be able to make the most out of your new mosquito trap and effectively capture mosquitoes.

Since no two properties are the same, the positioning of the trap is not the same for every one; there is no perfect diagram or layout that you will be able to use. However, you should follow some common rules and steps to make the most of your Mosquito Magnet trap by having the best positioning for your unique property.

1. Determine the prevailing wind direction
   You want the Mosquito Magnet attractant to be spread by the wind. A common mistake is to place the trap downwind in hopes of the mosquitoes being blown into the trap. Blood-hungry mosquitoes, however, fly upwind and as a result, such a trap placement would be ineffective (be sure to read How Do Mosquito Magnet Traps Work?). To determine the prevailing wind direction, you can look at which way the leaves on the trees tend to blow or pick up dirt and see which way it is blown. Look at the wind movement over a couple of days to get the best information.
2. Determine the mosquito breeding areas:
   Figuring out where your mosquitoes are coming from is an integral part of the mosquito trapping process. Most common mosquito breeding grounds include:
   • Standing water
   • Pool areas
   • Bushes and shrubs
   • Gardens
3. Determine feasible places for your Mosquito Magnet
   Obviously, you can't place your Mosquito Magnet right in your children's play area or in a place of high traffic. Ideally, you want your trap as close to the breeding ground(s) and as far away from you as possible. This way, the mosquitoes will go to the trap first, not you. Your Mosquito Magnet should be placed at least 30-40 feet away from your activity zone(s). If possible, you should only consider open areas, with short grass and relatively little or no underbrush. Your Mosquito Magnet trap needs to send out a large plume of CO2 to attract the mosquitoes. High grass and other obstacles in its way will impede the trap's plume flow. You should also consider placing the trap in a shaded area for all of the day, or at least a large part of the day. Mosquitoes seek cool places in the shade, not places of direct sunlight.
4. Draw a map
   Now that you have some feasible places in mind, it is helpful to draw or map of your property or at least mentally picture the wind direction, your yard, the breeding grounds, and your frequent areas of activity. You want to position your trap so that it comes between the breeding areas and you. If you just have one area of mosquito breeding, then your job is pretty easy, just place it as close as you can to that breeding area.
   However, in many cases, you may have multiple mosquito breeding areas, with your most frequent activity in between them. But do not fret, you can still achieve mosquito-free life. You should determine the midpoint between the breeding areas. Since most of your activity is concentrated between the two breeding areas, this midpoint is where you want to have your Mosquito Magnet intercept the bugs. The trap does not have to be placed at the midpoint in a linear fashion, but can be above or below that midpoint. If you were to draw lines connecting the breeding grounds and the trap, it should form a shape resembling a triangle. To better illustrate this point, view the map below:
   Don't forget, the trap must be placed so that it comes between you and the mosquitoes, otherwise they will come to you first!
5. Place your Mosquito Magnet trap
   With your map, you should now decide on the proper placement for your trap, keeping in mind this checklist:
   
   • the wind direction
   • your activity area(s)
   • the mosquito breeding area(s)
   • shaded areas
   • open areas with short grass
   • an area at least 30-40 feet away from your activity zone(s)
   Obviously, it may be impossible for your to meet all of these suggested requirements, but it is encouraged that you try to meet as many of them as you can.
6. Enjoy Mosquito-free fun
   Turn on your Mosquito Magnet trap and let it get it work! You should see significant results after about two weeks of trap operation. After some significant mosquito catches, you may see decreased results. However, this does not indicate any problem with your trap placement or the trap itself. Instead, decreased catches most likely mean that your trap is controlling the mosquito population in your area effectively and has decreased the overall population significantly. A decreased mosquito population will lead to smaller catches but also to less mosquitoes breeding and less mosquitoes biting you! But don't turn off your trap after you see significant results. Just because your trap has killed a lot of mosquitoes doesn't mean you can turn it off. You must keep it running in order to allow it to continue to control and eliminate the mosquito population. If the trap is turned off, the mosquito population will regenerate and the mosquitoes will start biting you again!

Useful Links:

• Helpful tips on trap placement from American Biophysics
• An interactive map to aide you in your trap placement from American Biophysics