Comparison of the BANTIX MOSQUITO SLAYER,
MOSQUITO MAGNET PRO and the CDC LIGHT TRAP in
North Queensland
Scott A Ritchie
PO Box 2964
Cairns 4870
“The results clearly indicate that the Mosquito Slayer (MS) collects
large numbers of mosquitoes and sandflies (biting midges). With the
addition of the satellite unit, the MS collected considerably more
mosquitoes than the other units. This strategy also allows for
trapping in front and back yards from a single gas cylinder, a
significant advantage.”
What makes a mosquito trap work?
It is only the female Mosquitoes that bite humans and they are drawn to an
essential life cycle blood feed by a combination of molecular factors relating to
emissions from warm-blooded animals.
The attraction-cues are probably multiplicative and synergistic although some of
the competitive trapping systems catch some species of insects very well without
the full complement of physical and chemical attractants in the Bantix system.
Three very important biological cues control Mosquito blood feeds.
1. Arousal to become airborne; then,
2. orientation of the mosquito to fly toward the host; and,
3. to select feeding site on the host.
A good trap must contain physical and chemical features to initiate and
consolidate all three cues, kill the insect and must be more attractive that a
human host.
Attractant principles
The attractant elements used in Bantix’s systems are as follows and the company
offers two models, either with (Master) or without (Satellite) CO2 dispersion
mechanism.
Insects are attracted to by CO2, lactic acid, octenol, temperature, light, sound,
and perceived movement.
A fan disables flight and forces drowning in the water tray. Drowning is
accelerated by reduced surface tension created by inclusion of a surfactant.