We hate mosquitos just as much as you do, maybe even more!  We especially hate the  nasty variety that thrives here in the wetlands of the Great Dismal Swamp and adjacent community Deep Creek.  We're nestled in the more remote areas of Chesapeake Virginia where mosquitos always have the upper hand in finding the next human blood meal. 

        We began this test using a variety of different machines all based on the carbon dioxide plume/trap concept.  In this product category,  of a plume of carbon dioxide and heat simulates the presence of a human to the biting mosquito.  There have been several technologies in the past that attempted to attract and kill mosquitos, but only with the carbon dioxide models has progress been made.

        You would think that all machines using this technology would have at least similar and comparable results, right?  Well nothing could be further from the truth...   We began testing these machines back 2000 but all failed miserably to catch any worthwhile quantity of blood sucking mosquitos.  Only after we read a report about the success of the American Biophysics model in the "Lost Colony" in North Carolina did we reopen our minds to testing these machines again.      You might be surprised at the number of mosquitos trapped by the American Biophysics Defender and Liberty.  I know we were both shocked and pleased. 

This was our first run, the catch got better to the point it was useless trying to count the mosquitos and gnats. 

First run:

Machine #1           2 Week catch -  7 mosquitos - USELESS!
Machine #2           2 Week catch -  19 Mosquitos - DITTO

Mosquito
Magnet Liberty      2 week catch-  1790 Mosquitos  - OUTSTANDING!

        This test began in the summer of 2004.  We genuinely wanted to give you a count on the catch rates but frankly it was impossible to count the mosquitos trapped by the Mosquito Magnet Liberty model!   As the summer progressed the catch grew each week and began to drop off somewhat mid summer.  However, at times, we estimate the catch peaked around 30,000 to 40,000 mosquitos a month at the peak.

        Now before you decide you can catch this many mosquitos,  we must caution you that our testing location was IDEAL for mosquito infestation!  We doubt seriously your back yard will be the mosquito haven.  We are adjacent to heavily wooded areas and we are near the Deep Creek Canal.     We tested both the Mosquito Magnet Liberty and the lower cost Defender.  We purchased the Defender from our local Home Depot and we arranged for American Biophysics to send us a sample of the Liberty.  The defender retailed for $298.00 at Home depot while the Liberty carried a higher price of $498.00.

Location Location Location!

        Location is critical for good performance of the Liberty or Defender.  If you select a bad location,  your catch rate will be disappointing.   In our test yard,  we had spots near wooded and shaded areas that were equipped with these machines.  These spots were productive 24 hours daily.  These areas are shaded all day allowing for catch during bright sunlight.

        We also tested both machines in unproductive areas away from high concentrations of mosquitos, such as center of the yard. The the catch rate fell dramatically.   It appears to us that a nearby biting mosquitos would venture near the machine and be sucked into it's catch bag where it would be trapped and dehydrate.  In spite of claims that mosquitos would travel across open yards towards the machine, we didn't see such activity.   You must put this machine where the mosquitos originate in your immediate area if you want to catch a large number of them!  

        This machine works where there are genuine mosquito problems.  We don't have a breakdown of the types of mosquitos we caught,  but generally the areas infected with biting mosquitos  became substantially clear of these biting insects in about 7 days and stayed essentially clear all summer. 


Placement near shade and cover increases catch!

  The pathway on the photo to the left was previously impassable without several bites on this 240 ft. walk to the water.    With the Mosquito Magnet Liberty at work,  the area became clear enough that a bit was rare while walking but if you waited long enough you would still get bit.   So, nothing completely clears an area of biting mosquitos but these machines can substantially tilt the odds in your favor!


The Liberty and Defender are different:

        We noticed there was a difference between the Defender and The Liberty.  It was obvious to us that the Defender caught more biting gnats than the Liberty.  The Liberty caught more biting mosquitos.  We reversed the locations of the machines and found still that the gnats in our area preferred the Defender. We're not sure why as American Biophysics couldn't explain it either.   Both machines did an outstanding job!  In prime locations for these insects,   the catch trap  was often jam packed full in about 3 weeks of operation!   It was impossible to count the thousands of tiny dry bodies.    It is important to note that a bad location will nearly halt your catch.   We have seen user reports that these machines do not work.  Our results dispute this claim and we would like to clarify that it does work and extremely well!  However it must be used in the right location.   When we moved the units to the center of an open yard without shade or vegetation nearby the catch nearly stopped.  

        Operational costs were not bad.  A tank of gas every 3 weeks and an octonol attractant cost us about $21.00.   Towards the end of the summer, we quit using the attractant and found our catch rates did not decline... a probable indication of different varieties of mosquitos as the summer progressed.

Conclusion:

        If mosquitos are your problem, buy the Liberty.  If biting gnats are your problem, buy the Defender.   Both machines trapped both Mosquitos and Gnats.   But we preferred the Liberty as it simply did a better job with mosquitos in our test.   Different areas have different types of mosquitos, so your results can vary.  However we universally believe that location is critical and there must be a mosquito problem in the first place.   The machines will not completely clear an area, but they do a good job of turning a severe mosquito problem into a tolerable one.

 This product is recommended!

RETURN TO INDEX

LIBERTY                       DEFENDER

This was a productive location at the front end of a wooded lot.  The pathway leads to the Deep Creek Canal which connects the Great Dismal Swamp to the Elizabeth River here in Chesapeake Virginia.   At times,  this machine woud completely fill it's bag with mosquito bodies.  This equates to a "softball" size clump of mosquitos.  

Below:  A view of the actual pathway leading to the water.

This less productive area still caught a lot of mosquitos and biting gnats.   While shaded all day,  this location did less than half as well as the primary location adjacent to the woods.

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