In-depth product reviews and demos

DynaTrapXL Mosquito Trap – DT2000XLP

       Surprisingly effective bug trap

RubberCheese SummaryI bought this and used it for the last 2/3 of the season before writing this review. I recommend it as an non-intrusive way to reduce mosquitoes in your yard.

Amazon product link: (currently disabled)

I have a small yard, but mosquitos are very bad – partially because of all the cedar bushes along a fence line. I went looking for a traditional bug zapper, but they seem to have been replaced by this type of fan contraption. I went with the XL (rated for 1 acre) only because it was the sole version available at the time I wanted to buy. I could have held out for a smaller model, but I figured a larger “bug reservoir” can only be a good thing.

HOW IT WORKS

The DynatrapXL runs two UV lights – the light and warmth of these bulbs attract bugs. Once the bugs are close to the lights, the fan pulls them into a mesh chamber where they are trapped. The beauty of this system is that the only noise produced is a constant hum of a fan – no more dramatic zapping, and clean-up is more contained.

DIMENSIONS AND FEATURES

The unit is quite large – measuring 19” tall (plus height of the hook) and around 12” in diameter. The power cord is 9.5’ long and does NOT require a ground. On the top of the unit is a large loop to allow you to hang the unit. Below it are two UV bulbs, a power switch, and a replaceable fuse. The fan flows downwards into a mesh chamber through two ‘flaps’ which close when the fan is turned off. The flaps don’t seal or close very well, so I leave my unit running 24/7 as is recommended by DynaTrap.

MOUNTING OPTIONS

I have my unit hanging from one corner of my gazebo – the hanger loop is the only way to mount this unit. The smaller 1100 model has a built-in wall mount which I would have preferred. Because the unit operates very quietly, it’s fine to have it near sitting areas.

COST TO RUN

The power consumption is stated at 35W (25.2kWh/month, or around $3/month where I live, if running 24/7). The included UV bulbs are rated to last 3000 hours (125 days; which is essentially a full season here) and replacements cost around $20 a pair.

MY EXPERIENCE AFTER ONE SEASON

I ran my Dynatrap for almost an entire season, and it caught a LOT of bugs (photos show bugs caught after 2 months of use) – keep in mind that these have dried out and presumably compacted a bit. Unfortunately, many of the bodies belong to non-problem bugs (including moths and some bees), but there are tons of mosquitos, black flies, and wasps in there. This was also the first year we didn’t have a wasp problem – likely at least in part due to the DynaTrap. This is also the first season where we don’t think we got any bites in our yard (huge difference compared to previous years). To be clear, there are still some bugs flying around, but none that are attacking us.

INDOOR USE

Once other nice feature about this type of bug trap is that it is safe for indoor use. I haven’t used mine inside, but sometimes during BBQs and yard parties, many bugs get in the house. This should be a great way to catch them, though I haven’t tried it yet.

TIPS IF YOU BUY THIS OR SIMILAR UNITS

  • Run it 24/7 to prevent bugs from escaping
  • Place it outside at the very beginning of the season so that the first mosquitos in the area don’t get a chance to lay eggs.
  • Experiment moving it around your yard. I found that I caught many more bugs simply by raising it off the ground.

CONCLUSION

Overall, I think this is a great evolution of the traditional bug zapper, though I was very skeptical when I purchased it. I’d recommend a Dynatrap if you’re bothered by mosquitos and are outside reasonably often.


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