Simple Indoor Homemade Mosquito Traps

Mosquitoes can be a nuisance when they invade your indoor living spaces. Not only are their pesky bites irritating, but they also spread dangerous diseases like malaria, West Nile virus, and Zika. Store-bought mosquito traps often contain harsh chemicals, emit unpleasant fumes, and can be costly over time. An easy, affordable way to control indoor mosquitoes is by making your own natural homemade traps.

We'll cover trap designs, proper placement tips, and maintenance advice to keep your DIY mosquito traps working effectively.

Understanding Mosquito Behavior Indoors

To successfully trap mosquitoes, it's helpful to understand what attracts them inside and where they tend to congregate. Mosquitoes detect carbon dioxide, warmth, sweat, floral or fruity scents, and even color contrasts. They follow these cues to find prime human targets to bite.

Mosquitoes often enter homes through overlooked cracks and openings. Common entry points include open doors/windows, gaps around pipes or wires, torn screens, and uncapped chimneys. Problem areas include shady, humid spots like bathrooms, basements, garages and areas near standing water sources.

Mosquito Biology and Indoor Habits

Only female mosquitoes bite humans for the protein in blood, which they need to produce eggs. Mosquitoes pick up on human scent trails and follow them to find exposed skin to feed on.

They tend to rest in shady, humid areas during the daytime. But at dawn and dusk when temperatures drop, they become active again in search of an easy blood meal.

Factors That Attract Mosquitoes Inside

Mosquitoes hone in on the carbon dioxide people exhale with every breath. Traps use yeast, sugar or fruit to generate CO2 and lure them in. They also follow floral scents trailing from gardens and perfumes. Stagnant water offers prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes to multiply.

Identifying Problem Areas for Indoor Mosquitoes

Inspect your home's perimeter for gaps allowing entry. Use caulk to seal openings around outdoor faucets, vents, pipes and wires. Check windows and doors for proper closure. Ensure chimneys have wire mesh caps. Target shaded, humid indoor spaces near possible breeding waters as prime trapping spots.

Preventing Indoor Mosquito Entry

Tangling with mosquitoes after they've already invaded your home can be frustrating. Prevent infestations by blocking their entry points and removing conditions that invite them inside.

Sealing Gaps and Openings

Caulk cracks around the home's exterior to seal off common mosquito entryways:

• Windows, doors, pipe openings, weep holes
• Under the eaves, siding and roof shingles
• Gaps where wires or pipes penetrate walls
• Foundation cracks or spaces around A/C systems

Employing Screens and Barriers

Well-sealed windows and doors form a barrier against mosquitoes. Ensure screens on opened windows/doors have no holes or tears. Replace damaged screening right away before mosquitoes discover easy access points.

Managing Humidity and Stagnant Water

Mosquitoes require standing water to breed and multiply. Eliminate sources of standing water inside and outside the home. This removes breeding grounds where mosquitoes spawn hundreds of eggs at a time.

Also lower indoor humidity below 50 percent. Mosquitoes gravitate toward damp, humid environments. Dehumidifiers help make indoor spaces less welcoming to mosquitoes.

Strategic Indoor Airflow Control

Consider positioning fans near open doors/windows to blow entering mosquitoes back outside. Fans and good airflow also dissipate human scent trails that attract mosquitoes to certain spots.

DIY Indoor Mosquito Traps

Once mosquitoes infest indoor living spaces, homemade trapping solutions offer an affordable and effective way to control populations without using toxic chemicals.

Basic Homemade Trap Designs

DIY indoor mosquito traps lure flies in using warmth, carbon dioxide sources and various natural attractants. Traps then contain flies so they eventually dehydrate and perish.

Simple homemade trap designs include:

• Plastic bottles/containers with funneled openings
• Mesh wire covering openings to prevent escapes
• Dark interiors, as mosquitoes gravitate toward dark spaces
• Internal CO2 sources from sugar, yeast, fruit fermentation
• Warmth elements from light bulbs or heating pads

Utilizing Attractants and Baits

Boost the effectiveness of DIY mosquito traps using natural attractant baits. Yeast mixtures, overripe fruit, floral essential oils and skin scent lure mosquitoes toward traps.

Some bait ideas:

• 1 cup warm water + 1/4 cup brown sugar + 1 packet yeast
• Fruit scraps from melons, berries, jackfruit, etc.
• 5-10 drops lavender, eucalyptus or floral essential oils
• Worn socks or pieces of clothing carrying human scent

Positioning Traps Effectively

Place DIY mosquito traps in shaded, humid problem areas of the home. Locate them away from high-traffic spaces but still central enough for the traps' scent trails to spread.

Good trap spots:

• Bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, garages
• Near potted plants, humidifiers or standing water sources
• Corners of rooms, closets, under sinks or tables

Trap Maintenance for Continued Success

To keep DIY mosquito traps working optimally:

• Replace yeasty water, fruit scraps, oils every 2-3 days
• Ensure trapped mosquitoes cannot escape through holes
• Clean out dead mosquitoes often to prevent fouling
• Refresh warm bulbs/pads regularly to maintain temperature

Additional Indoor Mosquito Control Strategies

When used alongside trapping, extra mosquito deterrents help strengthen defenses against bites and breeding.

Repellent Plants and Essential Oils

Certain plants like lavender, basil, mint, eucalyptus and garlic naturally repel mosquitoes. Place them in pots around indoor gathering areas. Their oils release mosquito-repelling vapors into surrounding air.

Dab a few diluted drops of repellent essential oils onto furniture, lamp shades, curtains, bedding and clothing hems. As oil scents diffuse into the airspace, they create an unpleasant environment that deters mosquitoes.

Ultrasonic and Electronic Deterrents

Plug-in ultrasonic devices emit high-frequency sounds only heard by mosquitoes. The irritating noise encourages them to leave before biting. Helpful for indoor spaces like bedrooms and living rooms.

Keeping Environment Clean and Unfavorable

Mosquitoes gravitate toward damp, humid conditions. Control indoor humidity, quickly fix plumbing leaks, wipe down dripping faucets and eliminate sources of standing water to remove ideal breeding grounds.

Layer trapping solutions alongside other defenses like repellent plants/oils, ultrasonic deterrents and environmental controls that work in tandem to drive mosquitoes away.