current traps available to trap mosquitos focus on the female - where the better devices use carbon dioxide gas, black light lamps, and chemical scents to lure them in.

but why do the male mosquitos get ignored? because they're vegetarians and live shorter lives? i think they are the weak link.

they are lured to females by the frequency the females' wings make - and they tend to congregate in voracious swarms that head straight to the sound of a female.

this frequency has been successfully duplicated by humans before and while the frequency changes with the ambient temperature, it may be possible to use a range of frequencies to match it electronically.

i foresee that the only set back is that the noise is audible by human beings close by.

so - the device lures the swarms of males in to whatever trapping device (e.g containers, chemicals, tesla coils), the swarms die in some sort of manner, and the swarms don't get to contribute to future generations of mosquito females and males.

it can also be used to complement the female lures - or replace them. the problem with the female lures is that since the lures tend to be set up near human populations, there's always the chance that the females may get diverted by the humans instead.
-- teh_ice, Oct 29 2004

ACP - Mosquitoes http://acp.eugraph.com/insects/mosq.html
The Animal Communication Project - Mosquitoes [teh_ice, Oct 29 2004]

Mosquito Zapper.com http://www.mosquito-zapper.com/
Outlines various means by which mosquitos can be dealt with [teh_ice, Oct 29 2004]

Why do we lure female mosquitos? Because the males don't eat us, duh.
-- DrCurry, Oct 30 2004


Why do we lure female mosquitoes?
Because they are better looking and have more shapely proboscises.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 30 2004


That's why this lure has an advantage: we lure the males to us and the ones that don't get trapped or killed won't bite us anyway.

Whereas, when we lure females to us, and they don't get killed, they'll come straight for our blood.

The males should not be ignored. They help to create new female mosquitoes don't they? That makes them indirectly harmful and just as deserving of death as their females are.
-- teh_ice, Nov 01 2004


This is an outstanding idea. If it is true that frequency is the only attraction, the sound could be made very, very loud. I mean tornado siren loud. Speakers set up to broadcast this sounds would essentially end any mosquito mating, and the population would fall. But I am a little skeptical that it is the hum of the female wing that calls the male. I need to read a little more. Until then, have some earplugs and this tasty bread.
-- bungston, Nov 01 2004


I'm a bit confused by this. High frequency mosquito repellants are already on the market (that mimic the wing beat or something). Why, now, will they attract?
Is it that the female beats her wings to a different tune when she's randy?

-- Ling, Nov 01 2004


Female mosquito mating call:
"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Zzzzzzz.....ZZZZZZZZZZZZ zzzzzzz
zzzzzZZZZZZZZZ zzzzzzzzzz
who want's a fuck?"
-- Ling, Nov 01 2004


Those high frequency repellant devices do not work at all. They make them for mice, deer, dogs, badgets etc etc and they work equally not for all.
-- bungston, Nov 01 2004



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