FAQs

General

Where is the best place for the trap?
Best place is somewhere in a shady, humid, and wind-protected location. However, actually you have to try several positions, because the catch rate depends on many individual factors. A few meters can make a big difference.

Is the trap rainproof?
Our products are all rainproof, however, we recommend not to leave the traps in heavy rainfall. Mosquitoes are not flying during rainfall. In case of a lot of rain the catch bag has to be emptied more often than usual.

How many square meters does the trap cover?
There are many different criteria that influence the catch rate such as mosquito population, breeding waters, resting places, coppice, climate, surroundings, etc. As such, it’s hard to give a reliable indicator. Depending on whether your garden has a lot of plants or not, you may need a different number of traps for the same area. But, as a general rule, one BG-Mosquitaire trap covers roughly the area of one average-sized house and garden. Mosquitoes often fly around their surroundings in search of a host, and sooner or later they will pass by a well-placed trap running 24/7.

When will the trap begin to be effective?
Our system needs about one week time to show an effect. The traps (as "artifical human beings") are permanently present in contrary to human beings, and they catch patrolling mosquitoes so the active population (and its reproduction rate) will be held down in the long run. Yet, one cannot expect a big population to break down in a short period of time.

Can the traps also be used inside the house?
Traps with CO2 are developed only for outdoor usage. You can place them in the garden, on the balcony, or on the terrace.
Traps without CO2 can also be run inside the house, but they are not as efficient indoors as they are outdoors. The reason is that traps should be positioned as near as possible to the breeding waters or resting areas of the mosquitoes which are mostly in outdoor areas.

Is there a possibility to run the trap of battery or solar energy?
The trap can be run with batteries. Normally motorcycle or car batteries are used. As a thumb rule you can act on the assumption that the ventilator will need 11 Ah per 24 hours operation. For longer operation times this could get quite expensive. Until now it is not possible to run the trap of solar energy.

During what part of the year do I set up the trap, and how long can I leave it running?
The trap should be put out when the temperature has risen over 15° C over a period of several days. At this time, the mosquitoes will be active and will soon begin mating. It is best to catch the mosquitoes now before they have a chance to reproduce and lay their eggs.

How and when do I change the catch bag?
The catch bag along with the captured mosquitoes should be disposed of when the bag is almost full. The steps for changing the catch bag can be found in the instructions manual that is provided in the packaging. A catch net, a funnel net, a gauze covering, and the BG-Sweetscent is available in our webshop.

How can I ensure that the mosquitoes caught in the catch bag and are still alive do not fly out of the bag while I am changing it?
Slightly pull the intake funnel out of the trap so that the catch bag is still within the suction current of the fan. Pull the catch bag off the funnel net, and simultaneously close the cord of the bag. Make sure the bag does not get caught in the fan. You can find these directions in the Instructions Manual that is provided in the packaging.

What am I supposed to do with all those mosquitoes caught in the catch bag?

Every trap is send with a second catch bag to change it when the other one is full with mosquitoes. If you want to change the catch bag and there are still alive mosquitoes in it (mosquitoes dry out very quickly), you can slightly pull the intake funnel out of the trap so that the catch bag is still within the suction current of the fan. Then the caught mosquitoes can't escape.

Most mosquitoes in the catch bag are already mostly dried out anyway. The remaining mosquitoes that still fly in the catch bag are usually only a few.

You can close the funnel then and put the catch bag with the mosquitoes in the sun for a few hours.

Afterwards you can use them as food for fish or birds. Otherwise, of course, you can just throw them away.

 

How and when is the gauze on the top of the trap changed?
The gauze should be changed when it has become dirty and when there is no longer a strong color contrast between it and the intake funnel. Additionally, a dirty gauze does not allow sufficient airflow through. The steps for changing the gauze can be found in the instructions manual that is provided in the packaging. The gauze, a catch bag, and a funnel net are available in our webshop.

Where should I store the trap during the winter?
The best location for storage is some place where it is enclosed and not exposed to winter weather. Do not store the trap where it is below the freezing point for an extended period of time.

Does the trap work for no-see-ums (biting midges)?
Although our traps are optimized to catch mosquitoes, our experience shows that no-see-ums (or as scientists call them, Ceratopogonidae) are indeed captured when CO2 is added. However, and unlike with mosquitoes, there are so far no studies if this will have a control effect or not.
But if you still want to try this option, we recommend the use of the BG-Booster CO2 set. This is used in combination with CO2 bottles which can be purchased online, from local compressed gas dealers or homebrew supply shops. These bottles can be refilled at a number of locations, including compressed gas dealers, fire extinguisher service companies or paint ball supply dealers.
The proven advantage of adding CO2 to your Biogents trap is that this will further increases the catch rates for tiger mosquitoes, and it will make it attractive to all other mosquito species, including flood water mosquitoes.

Attractants

How long does the effectiveness of the human skin scent imitator last? How long and where can it be stored?
The BG-Sweetscent has an effectiveness of up to two months. Unused attractants can be stored in a cool and dry place for up to 2 years.

What role does the BG-Sweetscent play?
The BG-Sweetscent is a scent imitator that increases the efficacy of mosquito traps. The patented composition of the BG-Sweetscent imitates the composition of human skin scents.

What is particular about BG-Sweetscent?
The BG-Sweetscent is a scent imitator that is specialized for use in mosquito traps.

BG-Sweetscent is a lactic acid-based formula with other food grade quality components meant to be used inside your mosquito trap and bait Asian tiger mosquitoes and yellow fever mosquitoes. 

The particular light and permeable packaging of the BG-Sweetscent guarantees an optimal timed release of the scent into the surroundings.

How long does the BG-Sweetscent last?
The BG-Sweetscent lasts for two months. After the two months it should be replaced to ensure a continuously high performance of your mosquito trap. 

How do I change the BG-Sweetscent?
The BG-Sweetscent can be changed in two simple steps. These steps can be found in the instructions manual that comes in the packaging.

I have the impression that the BG-Sweetscent smell evaporates earlier than suggested. Should I exchange the BG-Sweetscent before the course of two months has expired?
No. The human nose becomes accustomed to the odor, and after a while one does not smell it anymore. In addition, it is possible that right after opening the package a large amount of the scent is released for a short amount of time. The scent is actually still there and very efficient throughout the two months. Therefore, you do not need to change the BG-Sweetscent before the course of two months has expired.

Why should I purchase Biogents traps instead of other mosquito traps that are on the market?
If you have tiger mosquitoes in your environment, then you should buy the BG-Mosquitaire trap. The BG-Mosquitaire was specifically developed for use against tiger mosquitoes. Many international scientific studies that have been published in the top scientific journals of the world, and also presented at important scientific conventions, conclude that the BG-Mosquitaire trap catches a much higher amount of tiger mosquitoes than other mosquito traps do.

Why is the BG-Mosquitaire trap so big?
One type of signal that the tiger mosquitoes respond to is a visual signal. The size of the air plume that is produced from the trap as well as the size and shape of the trap itself play an important role. The BG-Mosquitaire trap utilizes both these signals to ideally mimic a human body which is why it has that distinct size and width. A smaller trap could not attain the same efficiency against mosquitoes.

Which customers already use Biogents tiger mosquito traps?
Biogents products are used worldwide by professionals and healthcare experts. The traps are the golden standard for tiger mosquito (Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus) monitoring and are used by the US, German and French military, numerous mosquito control districts and public health organizations worldwide, including WHO and CDC. They have also become the standard in worldwide programs such as the World Mosquito Program which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to control Dengue and other diseases transmitted by these species. Several governmental agencies use our technologies in their surveillance programs such as the USDA. 

How does the BG-Mosquitaire kill the captured tiger mosquitoes?
The tiger mosquitoes that are caught in the catch bag will die by drying out or dehydrating. Mosquitoes are dependent on a continuous supply of moisture. If they do not receive it, they will dry out and die.

How can I interpret the catch results of the trap? Last week, my trap only caught a couple of tiger mosquitoes.
This catch result is normal. It shows that tiger mosquitoes are in the vicinity and a risk exists. To others the catch result is normal, because tiger mosquitoes are solitary and do not fly around in large swarms.
On the contrary, if you have absolutely no tiger mosquitoes in the catch bag of the BG-Mosquitaire trap, you can assume that there is not a tiger mosquito problem in your area at that moment unless the trap is positioned incorrectly. If you find a large amount of tiger mosquitoes in the catch bag of the BG-Mosquitaire trap, then there is an extremely large threat of tiger mosquitoes. Under these circumstances, we suggest using more than one BG-Mosquitaire trap. In any case, try to locate any possible breeding waters for the mosquitoes and empty them out. These water reservoirs are often found in flower pots, vases, buckets, water barrels, rain gutters, puddles, or even discarded cups that contain water. Using fine stones or sand as filling hinders the ability of the mosquito to be able to lay her eggs there in the future.

How much electricity does the BG-Mosquitaire trap need to run?
The BG-Mosquitaire trap needs less than 5 Watts to run. That is less than an energy saving lamp requires. Because of the low energy consumption, the BG-Mosquitaire trap can be kept on the entire day without the need of a costly, elaborate timer.

How noisy is the BG-Mosquitaire trap?
The BG-Mosquitaire trap runs with ca. 50 decibel, measured in 1 meter distance of the trap.

Will the BG-Mosquitaire trap attract more tiger mosquitoes in my house or garden than there were before?
No, the BG-Mosquitaire trap only attracts and catches tiger mosquitoes that are patrolling around the vicinity. Mosquitoes usually fly only short distances. The active radius around a trap, which is the distance from which mosquitoes would be attracted to the trap is between 5 and 20m depending on objects, wind, etc.

Tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) and yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) and diseases

Why do mosquitoes bite?
Mosquitoes require blood to develop their fertilized eggs. The female mosquitoes produce the eggs; therefore, they seek out other life forms, for example humans, to bite and ingest their essential blood meal. Male mosquitoes do not lay the eggs.

What is particularly special about tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes?
First and foremost, the tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes are capable of transmitting serious diseases such as chikungunya and dengue fever. They obtain these viruses from one bite of an infected human. The virus then begins to proliferate inside the mosquito and after roughly ten days the mosquito can transmit the disease to other humans with only one bite.
In addition to these hazardous threats, the tiger mosquitoes distinguish themselves from other mosquitoes by being day feeders. They are abnormally aggressive and persistent. Tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes mainly do not fly in large swarms so they do not base success of the catch results on a large bulk of normal mosquitoes being caught, but rather on the actual number of tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes that are caught.

What are tiger and yellow mosquitoes attracted to?
Every mosquito species responds differently to the various signals that are emitted by their prey. Tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes react to a combination of particular visual signals, air plumes, and specific scents of the human skin. The trap has been designed to simulate a human being: A patented combination of attractive visual signals and an air plume mimicking convection currents created by a human body.

How do I recognize a tiger and a yellow fever mosquito?
Tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes are not bigger than normal mosquitoes. In fact, they are often somewhat smaller. Their entire body is accentuated with white-silvery markings. Tiger mosquitoes are primarily recognized by their white-silvery stripes that begin between their eyes and continue down the middle of their back. Their hind legs also consist of the same color scheme so that they look like black and white ringed segments. It can be identified by a marking in the form of a lyre on the dorsal side of the thorax, and striking white and black patterns on the legs. Yellow fever mosquitoes can be identified by a marking in the form of a lyre on the dorsal side of the thorax, and striking white and black patterns on the legs.

Where are tiger mosquitoes found?
Tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes are originally from Southeast Asia; however over the last 25 years, they have dispersed to many different regions around the world. Now you can find tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes also in parts of Africa and the Americas. The tiger mosquitoes are also prevalent in Europe where Italy is predominantly affected by them. There are very few regions in Italy where the tiger mosquitos have not yet made themselves at home.

What do tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes have to do with diseases such as chikungunya and dengue fever?
Tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes can carry and transmit chikungunya and dengue fever. Because they are day active and often bite several people in a short period of time, they can be very dangerous vectors of disease.

Which regions have already had chikungunya and dengue fever epidemics?
In the tropical and sub-tropical bands of the earth (Southeast Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Africa, Latin America, etc.) there are chikungunya and dengue fever epidemics every year with millions of people infected. Dengue epidemics result in thousands of fatalities annually, and among them are notably small children.

What are the symptoms and implications of chikungunya fever?
Chikungunya fever was first described in East Africa in the 1950s. Today, the distribution area of the disease reaches from eastern and southern Africa over the Indian Subcontinent and to Southeast Asia. Currently, the tiger mosquitoes and their close relatives, the yellow fever mosquitoes, which are not found in Europe, yet, are the only definite carriers of this virus that have been observed. Chikungunya is a word from the Tanzanian language that means “that which bends up” or “that which contorts”. The infected person normally has a rapidly increasing high fever. Severe joint and muscle pains cause extreme sensibility to where the individual can barely hold an erect position. The fever usually lasts only a couple of days. Normally, the illness simply runs its course, and the symptoms begin to subside after approximately one to two weeks unless complications occur. Consistent complications and deaths are rare. There is no vaccination currently available. After overcoming the disease, the individual is immune against chikungunya for life.

What are the symptoms and implications of dengue fever?
Dengue fever (also known as breakbone fever) is transmitted by the Asian tiger mosquito and the yellow fever mosquito. Regions of the greatest risk are Northern Australia, Southeast Asia, India, parts of Africa and parts of the Americas. In 90% of the cases of infection, flu-like symptoms will be observed. In the other 10% of the cases, a sudden high fever of up to 41° C is accompanied by a headache, limb, joint, and muscle pain and occasionally a skin rash. After approximately five days another fever attack usually follows, and then the recovery phase begins which can drag on for several weeks. The most severe form of dengue fever is the so-called dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), and it is associated with internal bleeding.
Each year more than ten million people will become infected with the dengue virus, and a hundred thousand people will develop the severe form, DHF. In most countries roughly 5% of people suffering from DHF die. Where there are good medical services, this percentage drops to less than 1%. Most of the fatalities occur among children and young adults.
Currently there is no vaccination against dengue fever. There are four closely related types of the dengue virus, and a sufferer of one type of dengue virus is not necessarily protected against the others. On the contrary, the risk of contracting the severe form of dengue fever, DHF, increases with the second infection of a different virus type.

How are chikungunya and dengue fever transmitted from tiger mosquitoes?
The chikungunya or dengue virus will be transmitted to a tiger mosquito when that mosquito bites a person who is infected with that virus. The virus begins to proliferate in the mosquito. After roughly ten days, the virus can be transmitted to a person who is bit by the infected mosquito. If the mosquito is killed within this time period then the disease cannot be passed on.
Currently there is no vaccination against dengue fever. There are four closely related types of the dengue virus, and a sufferer of one type of dengue virus is not necessarily protected against the others. On the contrary, the risk of contracting the severe form of dengue fever, DHF, increases with the second infection of a different virus type.