Mosquito Magnet Octenol. Best Overall
Octenol is the gold-standard attractant - a synthetic version of the compound found in cow breath. The Mosquito Magnet cartridges last about 21 days and pair with any CO2-emitting trap. In my Mosquito Magnet Patriot test, swapping in fresh octenol nearly doubled the catch count over the same week. This is what I run all summer.
Check price on Amazon →I baited my backyard mosquito traps with five different attractants and these are the ones that actually pulled mosquitoes away from my patio.
I bought my first mosquito trap after a brutal summer in a wooded backyard where dinner outside lasted about four minutes before I gave up. The trap helped, but the real difference came when I started experimenting with attractant cartridges. The right attractant can triple a trap’s catch rate; the wrong one barely beats an empty trap. After a full season of side-by-side testing on a Mosquito Magnet and a couple of competing units, I have a clear opinion on which attractants actually earn their keep.
Below are the five attractants I would buy again, plus what I learned about which compounds work for which species and how to deploy them. This category is filled with snake oil – these five are the real deal.
Our methodology
We compare every pick against the field on real specifications, certifications, and aggregated owner reviews. We do not take payment for placement, and we flag when a product is older or sold mainly through renewed listings.
Side by side
| Pick | Best for | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosquito Magnet Octenol. Best Overall | Check price | ||
| Mosquito Magnet Lurex3. Best for Asian Tiger | Check price | ||
| DynaTrap Atrakta Sachets. Best for DynaTrap | Check price | ||
| SkeeterVac Octenol Cartridges. Best for SkeeterVac | Check price | ||
| Flowtron BK-80D Cartridges. Best for Bug Zappers | Check price |
The full reviews
Mosquito Magnet Octenol. Best Overall
Octenol is the gold-standard attractant - a synthetic version of the compound found in cow breath. The Mosquito Magnet cartridges last about 21 days and pair with any CO2-emitting trap. In my Mosquito Magnet Patriot test, swapping in fresh octenol nearly doubled the catch count over the same week. This is what I run all summer.
Mosquito Magnet Lurex3. Best for Asian Tiger
Lurex3 is a synthetic blend specifically formulated for Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger mosquito), which is increasingly common in the southeastern US. Lurex outperforms octenol for that species by a meaningful margin in published studies. Same 21-day cartridge format.
DynaTrap Atrakta Sachets. Best for DynaTrap
Atrakta is DynaTrap's branded attractant - a sachet you drop into the catch basket. It contains a proprietary blend that mimics human skin chemistry. Lasts about 60 days, which is much longer than octenol cartridges, and works with the popular DynaTrap insect trap line.
SkeeterVac Octenol Cartridges. Best for SkeeterVac
If you own a SkeeterVac unit, the factory cartridges are formulated to fit and deploy correctly within that trap's airflow design. Generic octenol cartridges sort of work but you can lose 20 to 30% of effectiveness from poor diffusion. Stick with the factory brand for these traps.
Flowtron BK-80D Cartridges. Best for Bug Zappers
The Flowtron BK-80D cartridges are designed for bug zappers, which work very differently from CO2 traps. The octenol slowly releases over about 30 days and brings mosquitoes close enough for the electric grid to do its job. Note that bug zappers are notoriously ineffective for mosquitoes overall - but with octenol they at least catch more than nothing.
Frequently asked
Yes, when paired with the right trap. Attractants alone do nothing - they need to be inside a CO2-emitting or vacuum-based trap to make a real dent. In my yard, a properly baited trap cut nightly bites by about 70%.
Octenol works best for Aedes and Anopheles species (the common backyard biters). Lurex is more targeted at Asian Tiger mosquitoes. If you do not know your local species, octenol is the safer default.
