There’s nothing worse than the sound of a single mosquito buzzing around your head while you’re trying to sleep – or worse, waking up in the middle of the night with hot, itchy skin! But trying to find a mosquito in your room can be hard.
Of course, you could go overboard on bug sprays to try and kill them straight away. But the smell of many mozzie-killing sprays can make it hard to get back to sleep straight away. Luckily there are two methods you can try to track down the mozzie and hopefully remove it from your room without reaching for the bug spray.
Two methods to find a mosquito in a room
1. Search with a torch
This is what Lifehacker calls the “flashlight hunting method”.
Grab a torch and turn off all of the lights in your room except for one small light source, like your phone or a small lamp. Eventually, the mosquito will make its way towards the light, hopefully landing on the wall or surface near it. When that happens, turn on your torch and move the beam against the wall or surface until you find your mozzie. With fewer light sources, it can be easier to spot the mosquito (or its shadows).
2. Lure the mosquito with light
The second method, probably the most preferable as you don’t have to get out of bed, involves your iPhone. Lay in bed on your back, turn the brightness on your phone up, and place it on your chest, facing up.
The initial reason mozzies are attracted to us is the carbon dioxide we expel, so you could also try to take big, deep breaths to draw it towards you.
Other ways to deal with a mosquito in your room
If you’re not able to find the mosquito or don’t want to swat it in the middle of the night, here are some alternatives:
- Use a bug spray. There are plenty of store-bought brands you can buy. But if you prefer natural remedies, try a combination of eucalyptus and lemon oils, or citronella. It won’t kill the mosquito but it can help deter it from staying or entering your home.
- Consider a plug-in mosquito repeller. There are now plenty of different ways to repel mosquitoes that don’t require strong smells, including plug-in devices such as Mortein Peaceful Nights Automatic Plug In Fly & Mosquito Repellent or Raid Max Fly & Mosquito Protection Plug-In. According to Raid, its device has “a compact diffuser with a compressed sand refill containing an active ingredient to control flies and mosquitoes.” These plug-in options are designed with safety features and often have automatic timers to turn on and off.
- Create a trap. You can make your own mosquito trap using water, brown sugar, yeast and a plastic bottle. This naturally creates carbon dioxide, which will attract a mosquito and trap it in the bottle. This printable guide (pdf) from the City of Albany in Western Australia explains how to do it.
- Turn on the fan. Mosquito wings aren’t very strong when it comes to wind. So if you have a powerful ceiling or pedestal fan, you can turn it on to help keep the mozzie from reaching you as you sleep.
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