TRAP mosquitoes
Traps work by mimicking what mosquitoes are looking for — a place to lay eggs, or a person to bite — and intercepting them before they do either.
Each option here targets container-breeding mosquitoes: species that lay eggs in stagnant water, breed in small spaces, and don't travel far. The primary culprit on Capitol Hill is the Asian Tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) — the aggressive day-biter most responsible for ruining your backyard. Different traps target different stages of their behavior, and they work best in combination.
Check out our FAQs for answers to common questions from our community on traps.
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Bucket of Doom
Cost: Free-$
Targets: egg-laying females
How it works: The most basic trap. A black bucket filled with water and a little organic matter mimics an irresistible breeding site — females fly in, lay their eggs, and a BTi dunk kills the larvae before they hatch. No power, no moving parts, no chemicals beyond the BTi.
Maintenance: Refresh the dunk every 3–4 weeks and add more water if it has evaporated..
DIY: You can build one for the cost of a bucket and a dunk. Black buckets work best (they’re cozy!)
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BG-GAT (Gravid Aedes Trap)
Cost: $$
Targets: egg-laying females
How it works: You can think of the GAT as an upgraded Bucket of Doom — same standing-water lure, but with a funnel on top, a sticky card inside and a net to prevent mosquitoes from ever laying eggs. Females enter to lay their eggs, get caught on the card, and don't make it back out.
Each female caught stops 50–100 offspring that cycle. No power required.
Maintenance: Replace sticky cards every two weeks. Refresh organic material and top up water as needed
Ordering details: Biogents has organized a community discount on GAT traps (available in packs of 2 and packs of 12 traps) for Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee households.
Click below and then click “I want fewer mosquitoes” to order GAT traps at a discount. -
BG-Mosquitaire
Cost: $$$
Targets: host-seeking females (the ones actively trying to bite you)
How it works: The Mosquitaire doesn't mimic a breeding site — it mimics a person. A fan and Biogents' proprietary BG-Sweetscent lure attract mosquitoes hunting for a blood meal. They get drawn in, can't escape, and dehydrate. Requires a power outlet and runs best left on 24/7 — turning it off lets caught mosquitoes escape.
Adding CO2 — via canister or a DIY yeast-based setup — boosts catch rates by up to 400% and expands coverage to other species like Culex.
Maintenance: Replace the Sweetscent every 8 weeks. Change the catch bag regularly, at minimum every time you replace the Sweetscent. To dispose caught mosquitoes, freeze for 2–3 hours or leave in direct sun to dehydrate.
Ordering details: Biogents has organized a community discount on Mosquitaire traps (available in single and double packs) for Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee households.
Click below and then click “I want fewer bites” to order a Mosquitaire at a discount.