Warm weather brings out the best in Mother Nature, but with it often comes some of her best pests, as well. One of the most annoying is the mosquito. In the past, Ron has always dealt with the problem by applying plenty of mosquito repellent, but this season he has decided to take a different approach.
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Mosquito facts:
- Only female mosquitoes bite, and blood serves to help their eggs mature.
- Blood does not provide “food” for mature mosquitoes. Male and female mosquitoes get their food from plant nectar, like honeybees.
- The female mosquito can lay hundreds of eggs in a few tablespoons of water.
- Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide as well as the scents that emanate from human skin, which can attract mosquitoes from as far as 100 feet away.
- Mosquitoes are also attracted to light and heat.
- Typically, mosquitoes fly into the wind in search of a human meal, as they trace the scent of attractants in the air.
- Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk.
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| Armed with this information and more, scientists
at American Biophysics Corporation came up with the Mosquito
Magnet -- a device for homeowners to rid their yards of these
pests. Simply put, they created a device that does a better
job of attracting mosquitoes than we do.
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| The unit connects to a standard tank of propane and when it is turned on, the propane gas is burned in a flameless catalytic converter, producing carbon dioxide, just like that generated by humans.
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| An internal fan powered by a solar battery exhausts the carbon dioxide through a nozzle. The CO2, which is heavier than air, hugs the ground and travels downwind where blood hungry female mosquitoes pick up the scent.
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| Mosquitoes follow the flume back to the unit and are sucked inside where they are trapped and then starve to death. Every few days the collection bag inside the unit is emptied out.
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| The mosquito magnet also expels an attractant along with the carbon dioxide. The combination of CO2 and scent is just too much for any bloodthirsty lady mosquito to resist.
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| A single device covers up to an acre and a half and the unit should be placed upwind so it can attract biting insects away from the areas where people gather. Be aware that mosquitoes will be drawn to the CO2 and scent coming from the device, so for best results, place the device away from foot traffic.
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| This device should produce noticeable results in about 4 weeks. You can find this product online at MosquitoMagnet.com.
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