How to Make a DIY Bottle Mosquito Trap

Edited By: Natalia J.

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Summer is here, and we’re all suddenly reminded that mosquitos are a real nuisance and a danger to our health, too! Mosquitos are among the most dangerous pests out there, as they carry various diseases like the Zika virus, West Nile virus, dengue, and malaria. But don’t let these annoying pests deter you from going outside or spending time in your garden, essentially ruining the summer months for you.

We've previously explained how to make natural mosquito repellants and which plants to grow in your garden to repel mosquitos, both of which are great resources to look through and consider. However, in this article, we’ll help you to significantly reduce the number of mosquitos in your home and garden with a simple 4-ingredient recipe of a mosquito trap.

This tried and true mosquito trap works because it creates a source that generates carbon dioxide (CO2), a gas the pests are attracted to. In fact, the blood-sucking insects typically use carbon dioxide to find humans and animals, and this recipe tricks them into believing the trap is their prey. Best of all, this method uses common ingredients like plastic bottles, yeast, and sugar, so chances are, you’ll be able to make this trap right away. Here’s how to do it.

Image Source: oversixty

Ingredients

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.

The Same Method But With a 1.5 l Bottle Illustrated Image Source: Reddit

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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