Yard Guy wrote:
robb wrote:

My limited experience with the controversy stems from the
many factors that influence the effectiveness of the traps
(prevailing wind, landscaping, etc.)

When i purchased my traps the hardware guy offered me an
annecdote about how one year there was a run on their mosquito
trap inventory. The traps were returned in droves with the
primary complaint being they made the mosquito problem worse.
When he asked about the location of the mosquito traps it was
mostly placed on the deck or patio. So, the traps were just
attracting the mosquitos to the areas where people did not want
them.

The location of the trap in the yard should make no difference

Wrong. You clearly dont want to be attracting mosquitos to where the humans are.

And since they work on CO2 and attractant, you
clearly will only attract mosquitos from downwind.

- and I would say that you want the trap to be located
where you or other people usually are in the yard -

You're wrong. That will attract mosquitos to that
area and if the trap doesnt get them into the trap
quickly, they will start biting the humans there.

not in some distant, isolated corner.

The idea that wind is an issue is bogus.

Like hell it is.

If it's too windy for the trap to work then it's also too
windy for a mosquito to find and land on me as well.

Light wind makes it harder for mosquitos to work
out where the CO2 and smells are coming from.

It seems that these devices are good at
attracting mosquitoes, but not catching them.

Doesnt explain why he ends up with lots of mosquitos in his
trap and far fewer in the parents' trap with an identical design.

If they attract more mosquitoes to their immediate area than would
ordinarily be there, and if they don't vacuum up 100% of those excess
mosquites AS WELL AS capture some of the ones that were already
there, then the devices are clearly not beneficial to have.

Yes, but clearly they do trap lots of mosquitos at his place.