The summer season means outdoor fun for families and friends. But you’re not the only ones enjoying the nicer weather. Mosquitoes are out and ready to attack at the first sight of skin. Don’t let your next camping trip, picnic, or barbecue get ruined by some pesky bugs. Set up some simple mosquito traps to be worry-free this season.
CO2 and Mosquitoes
Did you know that mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide (CO2)? Well, you’re in luck because dry ice sublimates into CO2 being the perfect agent for mosquito traps. Stop spraying your body with chemicals that smell bad and wash off easily. Dry ice is a greener solution with no byproduct left to clean up. We’re walking you through an easy DIY mosquito trap to use by your home, camping site, barbecue, or picnic. You focus on the fun – the bugs will focus on these mosquito traps.
When comparing the difference in CO2 generating traps; dry ice and yeast. Results found that dry ice generated CO2 traps are more effective in attracting mosquitoes than the yeast generated CO2 traps. This indicates that the carbon dioxide produced by the dry ice greatly attracts mosquitoes. This can be useful with mosquito prevention when used with a proper trap. Our DIY instructions will show better results if paired with a light trap.How does it work? The CO2 attracts the mosquitoes at a more rapid rate, while the light trap kills them off. There are a few ways to go about setting up your mosquito trap, including the kind of dry ice to use. We recommend using pellets as they are easier to transport and handle, and can be used to build various traps.
DIY Mosquito Traps
The use of dry ice is not only efficient, but it is a greener, less expensive, non-toxic way of attracting mosquitoes. This type of dry ice trap reduces the risk of an irritable mosquito, and restricts multiple viruses from coming into human contact.
When beginning to set up the dry ice, hang 10 pounds of pellets about 6-8 feet above the ground at about the same level as your light trap. Your traps should be placed in a location where it will be out of the way of people. There are a few ways to go about keeping the dry ice above the ground, staying out of reach from adults and children. Hanging the dry ice inside cloth bags with a piece of string is an easy and cost effective way of doing so. The dry ice emitting CO2 will proceed to attract and kill mosquitoes for approximately a 24 hour period.
As for disposing of the cloth bags with dry ice residue, unwrap and leave it at room temperature in a well ventilated area. This will allow for the ice to sublimate from a solid to a gas, where it then can be properly disposed.
CAUTION: Safety First!
There are safety precautions that must be followed while handling dry ice. Use thick gloves or a towel when handling the material because of its extremely low temperatures, helping to minimize skin exposure. Do not store dry ice in a completely airtight container, seeing as this could cause the container to explode due to CO2 expansion. Also, do not store in a freezer. The coldness of the dry ice will shut down the thermostat and freezer, which can lead to major damage. Finally, allow for exposure to fresh air in the well-insulated container. This container is especially critical when in a car or van for the proper amount of ventilation. We recommend you read these safety tips prior to the handling of dry ice.
Looking to Do-It-Yourself? Contact us for pricing and pick-up locations! Noble Gas Solutions has found numerous applications for dry ice to help you achieve a pleasant summer. Learn how to Pack a Cooler for your next extended trip with Dry Ice here.
