A North Raleigh park once plagued with mosquitoes lurking along
a shaded tree line saw a bite-free summer after testing new technology.
“In years past, we would get nonstop complaints of ‘I’ve got
mosquitoes along the walking path,’” said Tanner Hardee, who has overseen landscaping
at Cokesbury Park for several years with the company Yardnique. “This year, we haven’t
gotten a single one.”
Eight Biogents traps, camouflaged along the park’s tree line
are responsible for the reduction in bites.
The German-based company — with a U.S. base in Cary — installed
the traps three months ago.
“We’ve effectively caught over a million mosquitos,” said
Biogents USA President John Anderson.
The females caught by the traps alone are estimated to
reduce future mosquito population around the park by over 7 million.
The devices use pesticide-free technology. They lure mosquitoes with a small attractant that’s chemically engineered to mimic the scent of a human.
“There is a specific design to the traps,” Anderson
explained. “They push out airflow – it’s a circular air flow – and it has CO2 attached
to it. The airflow pattern is what mimics a human.”
The airflow pulls the mosquitoes inside the trap, and they
cannot escape.
Anderson shared the cone-shaped traps used in the parks only
attract mosquitoes, leaving other important pollinators and wildlife unharmed.
Smaller circular traps are also available for at-home use, and they don’t require professional
maintenance.
“In the rest of the world, insecticides are banned more so
than the U.S.,” Anderson told WRAL. “In the rest of the world, Biogents has
been doing this for 20 years. What we want to do is take that here in the
United States and show people there is a better way to do this than just
fogging or insecticide spraying.”
The traps may also offer homeowners cost savings. Terminix
Triad reports ongoing
pest control plans in North Carolina range from $300-$1,600 per year.
The Biogents at-home traps and attractants sold on Amazon
are listed for less than $300.
Beyond comfort, experts say the approach could have public
health implications. Trapped mosquitoes in Biogents devices can be analyzed to
determine whether they carry viruses.
The company has worked internationally to mitigate the
spread of mosquito-borne illnesses, including dengue fever, in places like Asia,
Africa and Europe.
In July, Durham reported North
Carolina’s first case of West Nile virus in 2025. Infected mosquitoes were also
detected in Pitt County.
Local homeowners Victoria Blacik and Clinton Adams told WRAL
they have noticed fewer pests along the park’s walkway.
“We walk through most evenings,” Blacik said. “I haven’t
been bitten by mosquitoes that I can remember walking through here recently, so
it’s doing its job.”
She added, “Sometimes people do mosquito-spraying in their yard,
and I know that works, but it’s pesticides. It’s nice they found a solution
that doesn’t involve pesticides like that.”
Adams said the couple was “completely oblivious” to the
traps because they were so quiet and hidden in the trees.
Biogents said the summer success at Cokesbury Park has helped
fuel a plan with NCDHHS to roll the tech out to more public spaces statewide.
“We met with them last week,” Anderson said. “We’re
looking at how do we implement this into almost 40 counties here in North
Carolina for next year.”
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