Mosquito Larval Trap - FAQs

The EnviroSafe Mosquito Larval Trap is an innovative new trap design that catches the larval stage of the mosquito lifecycle, the wrigglers. Female mosquitoes are attracted to the stagnating water in the trap and lay their eggs on or near the surface. The wrigglers work their way down through the funnel in the lid into the bucket and are then gradually caught in an upper section of the trap where they are unable to escape. Each wriggler caught means less mosquitoes in your backyard!

You may want to rinse out the trap bucket before starting to remove any manufacture odours. Place the booster tablet in the bucket and check that the bucket is set up correctly with the ascension ring, lid and handle in place as shown on the packaging. Fill the bucket with rainwater or tap water until it reaches the roughened section on the lid.

Place the trap in a sheltered, moist spot among plants and greenery. Female mosquitoes looking for a place to lay eggs are attracted to moist, humid environments where the water that they lay their eggs into will be unlikely to evaporate. Mosquitoes will also use vision to locate the trap, so make sure it is easy for them to see. Avoid placing the trap in open, sunny locations such as paved areas – while mozzies might visit your entertainment area to find someone to bite, they are unlikely to lay their eggs in this environment.

The water surface is the main attractant for the egg-laying females, so it is important to keep the trap topped up with water. To avoid the trap losing too much water, try to place it where pets are unable to drink the water. Remove any large leaves that fall into the trap as these may block the holes in the funnel and reduce the efficiency of the trap.

Once set up, it is best to leave the trap in place for approximately 4 weeks. Mosquito species vary in how long the water needs to stand before it becomes an attractive egg-laying spot – for some species a few days is enough, but others prefer older standing water.

To clean out the trap, tip out as much of the water as you can (onto the garden will be fine), then remove the handle. Starting at one of points where the handle clips to the lid, work your way around the lid loosening it a little as you go. The lid is a tight fit to ensure any adult mosquitoes that do emerge cannot escape from the trap. A quick rinse and wipe out is all that is needed to clean up the bucket. If you can’t get the lid off, just flush water in through the holes in the funnel until most of the debris is cleared out. Don’t use bleach or any other kind of cleaner in the trap because these products may deter or repel mosquitoes in future.

The booster tablets are a combination of ordinary foods that when added to the water help boost the process of stagnation. After standing for some days, the water produces unique odours that female mosquitoes detect as they look for places to lay their eggs. Add one booster tablet to the trap each time it is set up. They are available for purchase in 2-pack refills as needed.

Yes, the water in the trap does not contain any toxic chemicals. It is the same as any other natural pool of water that has been standing for some time. However, if your pets drink from the trap, you will need to top it up more often.

There is no limit to the number of traps you can set in your garden. You could set a trap in the front yard and the back yard, or at each corner of your property to catch as many wrigglers as possible.

The Mosquito Larval Trap catches those species of mosquito that are adapted to using small bodies of water for their breeding. These mosquito species are common in suburban areas where small volumes of standing water can be found in gutters, drains, bird baths, water features, ponds and tanks are often found in backyards. Discarded rubbish such as tin cans, old tyres and coffee cups can also provide the perfect breeding spot for container-breeding mosquitoes. Some examples of container-breeding species include the common backyard mosquito Aedes notoscriptus, the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes aegypti, and the brown house mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus.

Some suggestions for further eliminating mosquitoes in your backyard include:

• Remove any rubbish that might collect rainwater and become a breeding space – look for old buckets, tins, cups, bottles – anything that can hold water.
• Regularly empty and re-fill those water holding containers that you need to hold water – for example pet water bowls, flower-pot trays, air conditioner trays. This will stop mosquitoes breeding in these water sources.
• Use EnviroSafe Mosquito Drops on bodies of water that cannot be regularly emptied such as fishponds, septic tanks, drains. Mosquito Drops creates a super thin layer on the water surface to mechanically interfere with mosquito larvae breathing. It is permeable to gases and non-toxic to other aquatic life.

By eliminating other water sources as suitable egg laying spots, female mosquitoes are more likely to use your Mosquito Larval Trap to lay their eggs.

If your trap hasn’t caught wrigglers after 4 – 6 weeks, don’t despair! Trap location is critical, so try experimenting with placing the trap in an alternative site. Ensure the trap is:

• In a moist part of the garden – mosquitoes are deterred by low humidity, so try to place the trap in a spot that receives regular watering.
• Sheltered from wind – even light winds can deter mosquito flight, so ensure the trap is placed where it is sheltered from wind.
• Visible – avoid hiding the trap in thick vegetation as mosquitoes use their eyesight to help them locate the water source as they approach the odour source.

You can also try adding couch grass clippings or lucerne to the water to provide additional organic matter that will rot down in the trap and create attractive odours for female mosquitoes.

EnviroSafe Mosquito Larval Traps are currently available at leading hardware stores.