Starting out in night collecting

[daffodildeb]

I'm sure someone has covered this, but I'll be darned if I can find anything with the search function, so here goes! I've moved to a new house in Central Arkansas, and would like to collect some moths at night. My place has a large backyard, mostly open with some trees, and it borders fairly dense woods. What lights would you recommend, and how/where should they be set up? I've had one suggestion of a mercury vapor light, 400 watt. Before I invest that much money, I'd like some other opinions.

I'm also assuming that a white sheet on a clothesline is the way to go, but again, I'd like some opinions. Dusk, night, or does it matter?

[w1]

UV lights. Blacklights. If you catch me Asilids I'll trade California moths. Thanks

[leptraps]

Check out my web site for collecting light units and bulbs, both UV & MV.

The following link will take you to my UV/MV page: www.leptraps.com/uvmvbulbs.htm

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[prillbug4]

I usualy collect on a hot humid night with no moon, or some kind of crescent moon in the sky. On full moons I place the lights un the woods. I use 175 Watt securuty mercury vapor lights that I bought from places like Lowes. I attached a plug to the wire. I also use a 160 Watt self ballasted light available through BioQuip and use any clip on socket also from a warehouse. I place the lights between two trees, tie the rope betwen them and double it so that I can clip the self ballasted lights between to the rope. It's usually taller than me. I then gas up the generator and attach the chord. There are affordable generators available at HeartlandAmerica.com. If I'm in the woods, I keep running list of the various plants in the area. For a black light, I clip the light horizontally to the ligh using two clothes pins, and place a second light about knee level and use two car batteries or gel battery. Leptraps also has this equipment.
Jeff Prill

[oehlkew]

I also use 175 watt mercury vapour bulb, but it is important that
it be a clear bulb and not a frosted bulb. A vertical white sheet makes a good landing area for the moths, and it is easier to see them that way.
Moonless or cloudy nights with temperatures at least in upper forties are better than clear moonlit nights. Below 47 F you usually will not see too much in way of Saturniidae or Sphingidae.
Usually the warmer the better, and night colecting is better after a series of warm days that have increased likelihood of eclosions.
Good luck.
Black lights also work well, and its great to have both the mv and balck lights if you have a power supply to run both.
Bill Oehlke

[evra]

Any white surface works to reflect a large amount of the UV which amplifies the effectiveness of the light. If your house is painted a light color you could just use a wall. Different moths fly at different times of night. Some only fly right at dusk and dawn (called crepuscular and are usually considered rare). A lot of the females of many species fly within an hour or two after dark, but the males usually fly much later. It's best if you leave the light on all night and check it in the morning. You also generally want to place your lights in a wide open area. If you place them in dense woods, the trees block the effective range of the light. Valleys also seem to funnel moths into them. A big open area in the bottom of a lush valley with a lot of different plant species is what I generally look for as a good spot.

Moth collecting is a lot more fun than butterfly collecting in my opinion. Butterflies in the U.S. are so well studied generally speaking, that you rarely run into any surprises. With moths, you can find out something new all the time.

[daffodildeb]

Okay, thanks, everyone. My property has a gentle downward slope towards a small creek (there's water in it after rains), and then runs back uphill into the woods. We own the part before the woods start, and there's a concrete koi pond--that's a long story in itself!--and there's electricity down there, too. So, if I'm reading correctly, a white sheet suspended between trees on a fairly dark night, lighted by a 175 watt mercury vapor light (unfrosted bulb) plus a black light, should attract the best. It's now consistently warm at night, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Is that correct? I'll need to purchase the lights, so I want to make sure.

[bluemoth]

I do night collecting almost every night of the year with moon or with out and with clouds or with out. Warmer nights are the best here in California with or with out clouds or moon. I even will get moths on full moon and clear nights. I use only one black light on a white sheet. This is supported on a hand made pvc pipe support that stands by it's self on my porch over looking a small valley and hill beyond. What every one said about lights is very good advise - so go get those lights and have fun!

[Deleted]

Hi Deb,

I am now using with great results, a 400 watt metal halide bulb. I stopped using MV a ways back. It does cost a bit to get the ballast, but is worth it. I also use two 24" black lights right on the sheet. Note, these two are BL bulbs and not the BLB ones that look purple when on. These look like regular white, but throw out lots in the UV spectrum. They cost about $ 18-23 each. I am out in the field a lot these days, but can send links to ballast and bulb locations if u like.... I just don't the links available where I'm at now. Also, don't forget to cycle your lights(turn off the big bulb and leave the black lights on alone and after half an hour or so, put on the big light again).

Last night, we scored pretty well with this unit in KY.