1 large empty plastic bottle
50g (¼ cup) sugar (brown sugar typically works best)
235 ml (1 cup) hot water
1 g (⅓ tsp) dry yeast
Equipment
Bowl
Spoon
Marker
Knife or box cutter
Ruler or tape measure
Tape
Instructions
Step 1. Take the plastic bottle and mark the bottle with dots in the middle from different sides. This is about 4 inches (10 cm) away from the top of the bottle. Connect the dots, essentially drawing a circle.
Step 2. Carefully cut the bottle in half along the marking. Beware of the sharp edges. We will use both sides of the bottle, so don’t discard anything.
Step 3. Now, let’s prepare the sugar and yeast solution that will attract the pests. In a bowl, dissolve the sugar in the hot water. Stir the sugar until it is completely dissolved in the water.
Step 4. Let the water and sugar solution cool for about 15-20 minutes, or until it’s lukewarm.
Step 5. Pour the mixture into the bottom half of the plastic bottle we cut up earlier. Add in the yeast, and stir again until no clumps remain. The yeast will be activated, they will start consuming the sugar and producing CO2.
Step 6. Take the top half of the plastic bottle, and place it into the bottom half upside down, with the neck of the bottle facing downward. Press the bottle in slightly until the edges of both bottles meet.
Step 7. Examine the bottle and make sure the throat of the bottle (the top) isn’t submerged in the liquid. If it is, remove some of the liquid, and repeat, otherwise, the trap won’t work.
Step 8. Secure the edges of the bottle with pieces of tape. Leave the trap in your home or garden, or in any other place with a mosquito problem. Depending on the weather, this trap will remain active for about 2 weeks. After that, you will need to replace the liquid.
Cleaning and maintenance. Apart from replacing the liquid every 2 weeks, you will also need to remove all the dead insects trapped in the bottle from time to time. If the bottle is overfilled with dead bugs, you may need to replace the water a little earlier. Extra tip: you can also cover the bottle in a piece of newspaper or cloth (as instructed in the image above) to prevent the trap from looking unsightly.
For a step by step illustration of the instructions, play the video below
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