(FORTUNE Small Business) – BREAKTHROUGH American Biophysics began selling mosquito traps to entomologists in 1992. But after it started mass-producing its Mosquito Magnet in 1999, the East Greenwich, R.I., company's revenues jumped, from $200,000 to $54 million by 2002.

DEBUGGING Iannetta got the idea to mass-market his traps from U.S. Coast Guard troops, who were thrilled when the machines killed 1.5 million mosquitoes at their post. (Mosquito Magnets attract bugs with carbon dioxide before vacuuming and dehydrating them.) Iannetta raised $5 million to revamp the manufacturing process. It used to take ten hours to build a Mosquito Magnet; it now takes 45 seconds.

PEST BUY Iannetta cut the cost of his traps--the cheapest now sells for $295--and made them small and efficient enough for use in a postage-stamp-sized backyard. This year he persuaded Sears and Target to carry his traps, and he signed an exclusive contract with Home Depot. It's the beginning of an infestation that Iannetta hopes will spread. -- MAGGIE OVERFELT