Insect trapping apparatus

Abstract

An insect trapping apparatus and associated method attracts insects, such as mosquitos, by emitting a carbon dioxide gas as an insect attractant and producing a heat signature from the insect trap characteristic of a warm blooded animal and a blue light of a wavelength that attracts insects into the insect trap. The carbon dioxide gas is exhausted together with moisture through a vertically extending exhaust tube to minimize cooling of the carbon dioxide gas and minimize condensation of moisture while attracting insects through an inflow channel of an insect trap to trap the insects therein.

1 . An insect trapping apparatus comprising: 
 a gas burner for receiving a combustible gas and generating hot carbon dioxide gas and moisture through a vertically extending exhaust tube to minimize cooling of the carbon dioxide gas and condensation of moisture; and    an insect trap having an inflow channel through which an inflow of air is drawn for drawing insects therein.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said combustible gas comprises propane.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said insect trap is supported by said exhaust tube.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said insect trap is spaced offset from said exhaust tube to minimize any cooling effects of the inflow of air on the hot carbon dioxide gas.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said insect trap comprises a substantially cylindrically configured housing and an air intake wall extending around said housing to form an annular configured inflow channel.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , and further comprising a ground engaging stand supporting said gas burner and insect trap as separate units spaced from the ground.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , and further comprising a catch cup supported by said insect trap into which an inflow of air is passed and into which insects drawn by the inflow of air become trapped.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , and further comprising a heater panel in said insect trap for producing from said insect trap a heat signature characteristic of the temperature of a warm blooded animal.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus for trapping insects comprising: 
 a source of carbon dioxide gas for attracting insects; and    insect trap that produces a heat signature characteristic of a warm blooded animal and a blue light of a wavelength that attracts insects into the insect trap.    
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said source of carbon dioxide comprises a gas burner that receives a combustible gas and burns the gas for producing hot carbon dioxide.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , and further comprising a catalyst over which the gas from the burner is passed to aid in converting the gas to carbon dioxide.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , and further comprising light emitting diodes supported by said insect trap that emit a blue light.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said insect trap comprises a housing having an inflow channel and fan mounted within the housing for drawing an inflow of air through the inflow channel and into the insect trap.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , and further comprising a catch cup supported by said insect trap into which the inflow of air is passed and into which insects drawn by the inflow of air become trapped.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said housing is substantially cylindrically configured and includes an air intake wall extending around said housing and forming an annular configured inflow channel.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , and further comprising a heater pad engaging an interior surface of said housing for heating the housing and a heater pad liner positioned against the heater pad to aid in insulating the heater pad from an inflow of air.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , and further comprising a ground engaging stand supporting said source of carbon dioxide gas and insect trap as separate units spaced from the ground.  
   
   
       18 . A method of attracting insects comprising the steps of: 
 emitting carbon dioxide gas as an insect attractant; and    producing a heat signature from an insect trap characteristic of a warm blooded animal and a blue light of a wavelength that attracts insects into the insect trap.    
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 18 , and further comprising the step of emitting a blue light from light emitting diodes supported by the insect trap.  
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the insect trap comprises a housing having an inflow channel, and further comprising the step of drawing insects by an inflow of air into the inflow channel and into the housing where insects are trapped therein.  
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 20 , and further comprising the step of passing the inflow of air through a catch cup supported by the housing and into which insects become trapped.  
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the housing comprises a substantially cylindrically configured trap barrel having an annular inflow channel around the trap barrel.  
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 22 , and further comprising the step of drawing a laminar air flow along an outer wall of the cylindrically configured trap barrel.  
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 20 , and further comprising the step of emitting a hot carbon dioxide gas as an attractant offset from the housing for minimizing the cooling of the hot carbon dioxide gas by any inflow of air into the housing.  
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein the step of emitting a hot carbon dioxide gas comprises the step burning a fuel for generating hot carbon dioxide gas.  
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 25 , and further comprising the step of passing the burned gas over a catalyst to aid in converting the gas to carbon dioxide.  
   
   
       27 . A method of attracting insects comprising: 
 exhausting hot carbon dioxide gas and moisture through a vertically extending exhaust tube to minimize cooling of the carbon dioxide gas and condensation of moisture while attracting insects through an inflow of air passing through an inflow channel of an insect trap to trap the insects therein.    
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 27 , and further comprising the step of generating the hot carbon dioxide gas and moisture by burning a gas within a gas burner.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 28 , and further comprising the step of burning propane gas for generating the hot carbon dioxide gas.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 27 , and further comprising the step of mounting the insect trap on the exhaust tube.  
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the insect trap is mounted offset from the exhaust tube to minimize cooling effects of any inflow of air into the insect trap on the carbon dioxide gas.  
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 27 , and further comprising the step of passing the inflow of air through a catch cup mounted on the insect trap and into which insects become trapped.