skeeters!!

[WVBill]

Ed - I had to chuckle at the mind-picture I got of the Avon Lady making a big delivery of Skin-so-Soft to Marine boot camp! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[EdKing]

Actually, our drill instructors told us to have our folks mail it to us. I have to admit, that would look pretty funny, the Avon lady bringing her case in and demonstrating here products to a room full of Marine recruits.

 

[TBone]

Many years ago I went to a weekend camp out with my son's Cub Scout troop. The mosquitos were terrible! While most of us were slapping mosquitos and trying to get close to the smoke from the campfire for protection, one "Dad" didn't seem to be bothered at all.

Come to find out he was a pharmacist and he took a maximum dose of a vitamin (I think it was E) to ward off the little buggers. He claimed he learned about it in pharmacy school. Seems that the extra vitamin that is not absorbed by the body is excreted through the skin and acts as a repellant.

I don't know if he was pulling our leg or not but I do know he (and his son) were mosquito free and the rest of us were like chopped liver after two days and two nights in the swamp. I never saw any evidence of any kind of mosquito repellant either.

I agree that you need to destroy their breeding grounds if you are to eliminate them from around your home.

TBone

 

[PaulT]

I'm curious about the coverage each one of the magnets has. I have about 4.5 acres that is grassy, but I only need the backyard /deck area protected, as well as the area near the pond. I am thinking about getting 2 of the middle priced ones, for each location, since I cannot run power to them. Please give me your opinion of the radius coverage. Could you move it and get protection for the new location immediately, or do you have to leave it in one place? (in other words, should I get 2 or can I just move the one over to the pond when we swim? Also, they claim that the middle and high priced versions will last indefinitely, since the power supply is modular and can be replaced periodically (not often, though, I hope). Do you have one of these versions? If so, does the claim seem appropriate, now that you have seen it in person? Also, the link to there 45 return policy doesn't show a policy. Do you know what the return policy is? What kind of guarantee for elimination are they providing, if any? Sorry for so many questions. Thanks.

 

[EdDekker]

Paul,


<font color=blue>I'm curious about the coverage each one of the magnets has. I have about 4.5 acres that is grassy, but I only need the backyard /deck area protected, as well as the area near the pond. I am thinking about getting 2 of the middle priced ones, for each location, since I cannot run power to them.
Please give me your opinion of the radius coverage. </font color=blue>

Sorry, but with three days experience all I can do is quote the manual on the radius coverage. I bought the Pro model for the larger coverage (1 acre for the pro vs 3/4 acre for the Residential)

I can tell you a bit about the theory. The theory is that most mosquitos spend their entire lives within a few hundred yard radius and move in a predictable way. The newly hatched female will fly generally upwind from the water she hatched in order to be able to fly downwind to return to water after filling up with blood. using this theory one is directed to place the mosquito upwind from the area to be protected so she will find the trap before finding people. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ambiophysics.com/placement2.html>http://www.ambiophysics.com/placement2.html</A>

This model breaks down near the pond, where the blood filled mosquito has to go only a short distance to lay her eggs.


<font color=blue>Could you move it and get protection for the new location immediately, or do you have to leave it in one place? (in other words, should I get 2 or can I just move the one over to the pond when we swim? </font color=blue>

My understanding is that part of the idea is to remove breading females from the area and cause the local population of mosquitos to be all but eleminated.

I would not expect much benefit until the Mosquito Magnet had been in place for a week or so.


<font color=blue>Also, they claim that the middle and high priced versions will last indefinitely, since the power supply is modular and can be replaced periodically (not often, though, I hope). Do you have one of these versions? If so, does the claim seem appropriate, now that you have seen it in person? </font color=blue>

The Pro model is well built.
The base is painted steel. It is a heavy section and I expect the base to last forever.
The stainless box with the catalytic bed, thermonic generator and fan has good fit and finish. (I have resisted the impulse to open it up and look inside.)
The front housing of the pro (the forest green area) is plastic. It is sufficient for the job but it has the feel of plastic which will crack after several years in the sun. (Note that 'feel' is not a precise analytical technique.)

I expect that the elements which will need maintenance (replacement) over the long term will be the fan (a moving part) and the plastic housing.

I see no reason to disagree with the statement from the American Biophysics web site:
<font color=red>A unique feature of the Mosquito Magnet™ Pro is its virtual unlimited life. Because of its removable power pack (which contains all of the operating components), the Mosquito Magnet™ Pro can be easily rebuilt, refurbished or upgraded indefinitely. </font color=red>

Provided (and this is a big one) American Bioophysics continues to manufacture replacement parts such as the plastic housing.

<font color=blue>Also, the link to there 45 return policy doesn't show a policy. Do you know what the return policy is? What kind of guarantee for elimination are they providing, if any? Sorry for so many questions. Thanks. </font color=blue>

The 'Money Back 100% Satisfaction Guarantee' direct from American Biophysics Corp is weak. You pay 2 way shipping and a 25% restocking fee for the 45 day return privilege.

There are many retailers for the Mosquito Magnet. I purchased a Factory Refurbished Pro model from Frontgate.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.frontgate.com/pdp.jsp?prod_oid=1846367&showarrow=no>http://www.frontgate.com/pdp.jsp?prod_oid=1846367&showarrow=no</A>

Frontgate provides a much better guarantee.

<font color=red>
Frontgate's 395-Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Take 395 days to put the Mosquito Magnet to the test. If it fails to meet your expectations in any way, return it within 13 months, and we'll promptly replace it or refund the cost, whichever you prefer. No questions asked.</font color=red>


The refurbished units from Frontgate (both Pro and Residential) were the only discounted Mosquito Magnets I could find ($300 and $100 off list).

 

[dourobob]

I know I am late to this string but I was intrigued by the reference to the Mosquito magnet and wondered if anyone had experience with a product from Shaklee called Basic H - (I have heard about the Avon suff - my Mom used to be an Avon lady a few decades ago and, VWBill and EDKING, I know she wouldn't take any guff from a room full of marines /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif)?

According to a neighbour (who doesn't sell but uses it for cattle worming as well as other cleaning), this Basic H is biodegradable, has virtually no smell, is not oil based, comes off easily in the shower or pool and keeps the mosquitoes and black flies at bay. I tried a bit the other morning when I was checking out/fixing some broken electric fencing in the shade of some swamp cedars (nice place for mosquito research /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif). The arm with Basic H was bite free while the rest of me .... well. So, I am going to cover both arms and my neck on my next outing and see what happens.

Anyone had experience with this Basic H?

Bob

 

[Tdog]

I forgot about this thread when I posted earlier in the day.

How about some updates on these mosquito traps/magnets??

 

[rmorgan]

Re: Mosquito Magnet

I just got back from visiting folks in New Hampshire with four(!!) of the large Mosquito Magnets. The bags had a lot of bugs in them, and the area around the house was perfectly comfortable to walk around in shorts. I didn't appreciate this until I got outside the range . . . MAN, were there a lot of bugs down in the field and up in the woods!! Two machines were about 20' from corners of the house, and two were about 40-50' from the other corners. The entire yard, which I would guesstimate to be three acres +/-, seemed to benefit from them. They consume a grill-sized (20-lb.) propane tank and a replaceable element in three weeks (six elements cost about $40). Whether this ease of living is worth five grand plus propane and elements is tough to say, but I can, after this experience, vouch that the machines do what they say. Also, I think Frontgate, where they got them, has a 13-month money-back policy for the Magnets.

 

[exeter_acres]

Re: Mosquito Magnet

Thanks for the info... you are the first person that I have heard from who has actually seen them work!! Good to know.

Hmmm buy it.. use it for the summer... return it....

Nah, that would be wrong /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

thanks again

Curtis

 

[Scott_in_WVA]

West Nile Virus is now officially in my neck of the woods.