This review will give you a detailed overview on everything you need to know about this carbon dioxide trap.
- I’m going to show you its best features and
- cover all maintenance that is needed.
- I also compare it to other models.
The trap’s biggest advantage is: It offers a lot of customization and the use of CO2 (instead of propane) keeps ongoing costs low.
Uses CO2 and UV-light to cover an area of 1 acre. It’s silent, odorless and allows a lot of customization. Consider ongoing costs for CO2, attractant and net. Use outdoors only.
Last update on 2024-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This mosquito control device combines a variety of different strategies to attract and kill swarming critters. In comparison to many other devices that only focus on one technology the MCU-900 means settings galore. Consider buying it if you hate mosquitoes!
Read my guide Mosquito Traps That Work to get a full overview of the best available traps.
Setting up the Mega Catch Pro Ultra
Not all mosquito species are attracted by the same lure. What works for one type might not work for another. Mega-Catch Ultra tries to solve this problem and has a lot more settings than your usual trap. The different options make the device a jack-of-all-trades in regard to efficient mosquito control.
With the Ultra trap you can use a combination of different Mosquito-Attracting-Stimuli (MAS):
- Carbon dioxide that slowly gets released around the device to attract mosquitoes by mimicking human breath.
- Programmable UV light can help to lure critters into the trap where they starve.
- Heat and moisture are used to increase the number of lured mosquitoes.
- An additional attractant can enhance the unit’s performance. I’ll cover it below.
At first all these features can seem a bit overwhelming but if you suffer from a severe mosquito problem they offer great customization. Furthermore the Mega-Catch comes with an easy to understand manual that will guide you through the most important steps.
The variety of settings is great for customization. It’s fun to experiment what different ways lure the most critters into the trap.
In addition there’s a LCD panel on the outside that allows you to change most of the settings like:
- fan speed, heat pulsation or infrared lighting arrays in 5 steps.
- You can also adjust the amount of CO2 that gets released.
- Last but not lest there is neat timer to make the trap even more convenient to use.
Honestly I haven’t observed much of a difference between each of the 5 stages but this may depend on my local mosquito population. Most of the time I let the catch run in automatic mode so I can benefit from all modes without bothering too much with optimization.
The device then takes care of correct temperature, fan speed and all other things.
A mosquito nightmare
When you need some effective revenge against nasty mosquitoes the Mega-Catch Ultra is one of the best choices out there.
Each time I empty a basket I find dozens of dead critters. Mosquitoes, gnat, moths, black flies and biting midges that would have harassed me and my family.
The device covers about 1 acre and helps to keep the area around my cabin mosquito-free. I still get bitten here and there but it’s a relief compared to the time before I owned this trap.
When mosquito season begins I just hang it on a tree. I don’t have to worry about outside conditions because the unit is compact and build of heavy use plastic. So far I haven’t had any breakdowns or faults.
The Mega-Catch Ultra is one of the best mosquito control tools available.
I’m not only impressed by the Ultra’s performance but I also like its simplicity.
There is not much maintenance needed. Instead of propane gas tanks this tool uses carbon dioxide which has one main advantage:
It lasts far longer and you have to refill it less often (furthermore it saves you a lot of money in the long run). I operate my trap 24/7 and I usually replace the CO2 once in the middle of the season.
Furthermore you’ll have to empty the internal net or wet catch (a bucket where mosquitoes drown) every 3-6 days. It takes less than a minute to do so it’s not a big deal. Just keep in mind that this trap is not set and forget.
I usually replace the net every 3 months because it gets clogged with insect remains. To guarantee optimal airflow/performance I recommend that you frequently buy a new bag.
Overall the combined maintaining costs are frankly not cheap, but still okay for me. During peak season 24/7 operation costs me around $35 per month:
- C02 (refill at the local factory) costs me approximately – $8
- Replacement net budget – $8
- Octenol lure (see below) to catch more skeeters – $20
The relief of no mosquitoes buzzing around is well worth 1 buck a day. Together with almost no maintenance needed I’m really satisfied with the Ultra trap.
Hint: Use Octenol to make it more effective
I recommend that you use an additional lure to enhance the trap’s performance. Together with CO2 such an attractant improves the rate of caught mosquitoes.
From my experience it works best in the Northern states specifically because most species there get targeted by this compound.
You can buy fragrance sticks with Octenol lure from Mega-Catch. They last around a month before you have to replace them. Application is very easy because you just have to place them into the MCU-900’s base.
After that the sticks’ scent will attract mosquitoes without any further work required. Just let it hang around and wait for the buzzing critters to die.
You can also experiment with the wet catch mentioned above. From my experience it works best if you put a mixture of water and Pepsi into the bucket. Many mosquito species get attracted by the sweet scent and meet their doom.
Comparison to other Mega-Catch traps
The Ultra is the top-of-the-line version and comes with the most sophisticated settings. If you need something simpler you can look for the Mega-Catch Premier.
Compared to this trap the cheaper model covers a smaller area and there is no carbon dioxide-option available.
This makes the Premier less effective but easier to maintain. You won’t need to buy CO2 tanks.
In my opinion both devices cover different application scenarios.
- In case you live in an area with moderate risk of mosquito borne diseases like chikungunya you can give the Premier a try.
- However if your home is infested with dangerous critters the Mega-Catch Ultra is the way to go. No other model can compare to its powerful mosquito killing performance.
Which brings me to my conclusion:
You should buy this mosquito trap if you…
The Mega-Catch is an expensive but very powerful tool against mosquitoes and harmful diseases carried by them. The many available settings make it very customizable and allow you to target your local mosquito species.
A trap for California may target different types of critters than a trap in Massachusetts. The Ultra addresses this problem with many different options.
Buy it if you can’t stand getting harassed each time you walk outside. Claim your property back!
Hi! My name is Mark and I’m an outdoor freak.
Visiting many exotic places around the world allowed me to gain some knowledge about effective mosquito control. That’s why I decided to start this site and give you in-depth reviews regarding the best repellents and traps.
And yes, you may call me Mosquito Mark.
