WIRED’s yard tests favour repellents over mosquito traps
A reviewer reported good results from nearby portable devices and Thermacell’s LIV system, while light-and-fan traps mostly collected moths.
WIRED’s review of yard mosquito-control products found a gap between repellent devices and traps in one reviewer’s trials. Portable devices using metofluthrin or allethrin worked when used nearby, the reviewer reported, while two light-and-fan traps caught mostly moths.
Thermacell’s wired LIV system, which uses metofluthrin through linked outdoor units, was among the strongest performers in the review. The reviewer said it protected a deck and swimming pool, but noted that installation requires a professional and the system is expensive.
Mosqitter and Dynatrap traps captured insects but attracted few mosquitoes during testing, including after the reviewer added an attractant to the Mosqitter. WIRED cautioned that results could differ by location and mosquito species.
Other approaches had mixed results. The reviewer said professional yard spraying brought two or three bite-free days per treatment, at a reported annual cost above US$2,000. A water-based trap also disappointed, while Mosquito Dunks were described as useful only where standing water is available.
The review says yard treatments cannot eliminate mosquitoes permanently. Its findings reflect one reviewer’s experience, including testing around Austin, and do not establish how products will perform in other conditions.
