What is The Difference Between Bug Zappers and Mosquito Traps?

A bug zapper or mosquito trap may not sound important to you, but it’s one the most important devices in tropical countries. Flying pests such as flies and mosquitoes become irritating as the days grow longer and the weather gets warmer there.

Though at the beginning of my article, I started with an “or” between bug zapper and mosquito trap, they are actually two different things.


Mosquito Trap

Yes, both of them serve the same purpose, i.e. they eliminate insects from your surroundings. But which ONE you will buy depends on personal preferences and the environmental conditions of your location.

So before you decide, let me take you to a ride that will give you an overall idea about the Bug Zapper and Mosquito Trap and their differences.

About Bug Zappers

A bug zapper is actually very simple, made up of a few parts- namely

  • An outward casing
  • Ultraviolet (UV) light that attracts insects
  • Wire grille inside the casing and around the light, carrying an electric charge
  • A transformer that creates an electric charge

Occasionally, there could be few additional components added to it that assists to draw insects near. Visit here ​thepesthunter.com﻿﻿ for the different type of Top Quality Bug Zapper list.


How does it work?

An insect move towards the UV light (or other attractants) once the light catches its attention. This means the insect will go through the exterior housing to reach the light. After the metal grid then electrocutes the insect.

Some bug zappers have catch trays to hold dead bugs that have been electrocuted by the device. This makes cleaning up of the dead insects easy.

How effectively does it work?

This depends on the type of insect you’re trying to zap. While flies and moths can be easily lured by the ultraviolet light, some insects (such as mosquitoes) seem to be less interested.

Mosquitoes, for example, tend to be more attracted to the carbon dioxide that you exhale and from the smell of your sweat.

Because of the few insects that are drawn for alternate reasons, companies that manufacture bug zappers have started including ﻿pheromone lures﻿ or carbon dioxide emitters in addition to the UV light. This way, bug zappers can attract a wider range of insects and zap it!

But, not all the positive things are good. With the hope of catching a wider range of insects, these bug zappers will catch many beneficial insects that would be lured by the tantalizing UV light and all.

It’s advised to be mindful of the placement of your bug zapper to avoid harming the insect population that is beneficial for your home and for your garden.

Types of bug zappers

There are a few different variations on bug zapper styles from which you can choose your own, namely: Horizontal Bug Zappers, Vertical Bug Zappers, Bug Zapper Light Bulbs, and Electronic Bug Repellent.

About Mosquito Traps

Several brands of mosquito traps are designed to attract mosquitoes by imitating human breath and trapping them in a net or container, where they die drowning or dehydrating.


This idea works well if you want to get rid of mosquitoes in your backyard or your garden, but you can't prevent them from breeding elsewhere.

Since only the female mosquitoes bite, and they require drinking blood to develop eggs, catching them at the moment they're searching for blood will kill them before they are able to reproduce, and therefore it will prevent the next generation of mosquitoes as well.

However, traps are not able to catch every mosquito in the area if there are people or other animals nearby. But we have a solution.

Place one mosquito trap in the right location and work it every day at the times mosquitoes are out (preferably at dawn, later in the afternoon and at dusk).

It will start to cut back on problems in a few days and the number of mosquitoes should continue to drop even if you are living in a tropical area.

How does it work?

Traps work by mimicking a person or an animal, sending out signals that mosquitoes apply to find their prey. The main signal is carbon dioxide (CO2) as if a person is exhaling.

Some mosquito traps send-off at a steady rate, while others (like the Mega-Catch traps) match the rhythm of breathing of human beings.

The insect trap can use propane or CO2 cylinder to make carbon dioxide. In addition, traps may include an attractant such as Octenol or Lurex that makes the plume of CO2 seem even more like that of human breath.

How effectively does it work?

This depends on the location where you put the mosquito trap. The best trap location is between the area you want to keep mosquito free and the area where mosquitoes are breeding or resting.

So, look for a location that's upwind from where the mosquitoes would enter, and at least 30 feet from the people you don't want to be bitten.

Plus, the trap would be kept in a place where there is no barrier for the carbon dioxide to spread (avoid hedges or high grass). And finally make sure, the trap is in a cool, damp or shady area, and not in a hot, dry or sunny one.

Types of Mosquito Traps

Unlike bug zappers, there aren’t a lot of variations of mosquito traps to choose from. Yet, BG-Sentinel Trap, Gravid Traps, New Jersey Light Trap, and CDC Light Trap serves all the purposes you might be looking for in a mosquito trap﻿﻿﻿﻿.

So you have successfully known the primary differences between bug zappers and mosquito traps. Now you can narrow it down to which you would like to buy. Good Luck!


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