Skeeter Deleter

[BXmark]

Have you guys seen this new Mosquito Deleto contraption from Coleman? Supposedly it gives off CO2 and heat to trick the skeeters into thinking it's a warm blooded animal. They are left stuck to some sticky stuff. Has anyone tried one yet? It seems like a great idea but I'd hate to spend $200 to find out it's another pie-in-the-sky.

 

[patrickg]

Haven't seen the Coleman in use but have seen nearly the same technology at work doing a good job. Years ago, decades actually, OK way back when I was in High School a local drive-in burger joint had a bug getter that ran on natural gas and electricity and was way before I recalled seeing the high voltage bug zappers. It had a small annular opening encircled by a round burner and a circuline fluorescent light (they were after moths and other flying insects not just mosquitos). Anyway mosquitos were attracted by the heat/CO2 plume and moths and others were attracted by the light. Anything that got near the opening got a litle help from a fan that pulled air in through the opening. A bug that went near the opening was sucked in, singed by the flame, and collected in a vacuum cleaner bag sort of thing. The owner dumped the contents in with his chickens who were happy campers to get the singed bug treats.

I would guess that you could use a standard high V bug zapper (perhaps without the UV light) in the heat/CO2 plume from a small propane flame to do the same thing as the Coleman product for a lot less $$ but would require a project.

Patrick

 

[MDNY]

BXmark,

I haven't see the coleman one, but Brookstone has one (not cheap either) called the Mosquito Eradicator, costs about $595 and I saw it in person at the local Brookstone today. this is something that has been added to the must have list (wife's orders) for next summer. Since we won't be in the new house until October we don't have as much to worry about.

 

[exeter_acres]

We were talking about these today.. Thought about using the good 'ole bug zapper (such a lovely summer sound!) with a bit of Dry ice in a basket hanging from it.. the CO2 from the dry ice attracts and the zap...well....it zaps!

any thoughts...

Happy Memorial Day

Curtis

 

[patrickg]

Is there something I am missing here? $600 off the shelf vs a small propane burner and a little design time and experimentation? I wonder if there is over a hundred bucks in parts (retail price) assuming you don't have an LPG cylinder or anything?

With all the brain power brought to bear on much less important projects than mosquito control, I would bet the TBN brain trust could crack this nut.

Patrick

 

[rf33]

I think that the model at Brookstone has platinum coated beads for the reaction to occur upon. I think that this might result in a better plume of CO2 and H20 from a given amount of propane. Just a thought, but I do know that Pt is pretty darned expensive since that is my wifes preferred metal for jewelery.

 

[patrickg]

RF33, The platinum acts as a catalyst to help ensure complete combustion like in a catalytic converter on a car or one of those little propane (or natural gas) catalytic heaters that are "SAFE" to use in an occupied interior space. What if your burner were 95% efficient instead of 100% and released minute portions of CO and unburned hydrocarbons? Would this prevent mosquito attracting? I don't think so! Your fuel costs for the same plume would go up about 5%. It would take a real long time to make even a hundred $ on the small fuel savings.

Since a lot of "vintage" RVs have small catalytic heaters that might be had on the used market and there are small catalytic type propane fired "tent" or similar heaters available pretty reasonable, you should be able to make her a deal. Look at the coverage on the COTS units, wouldn't you realy need more than one to do a real good job and protect everyone from the Nile Virus etc? You could split the savings you get not buying commercial. You could make a start at some small piece of platinum jewelry AND something in the way of a man toy with the savings, especially if your analysis indicated it took 2, 3, or more units to give effective coverage to your area of concern.

Patrick (teetering on the fine line between reality and tongue in cheek)