Night collecting in the Midwest

[bugboys3]

I was wondering if anyone has any success yet this season night collecting with any types of lights? Whether it be with MV or black lighting. Especially in the upper Midwest of the United States. I am thinking about going out Friday night if the weather looks good. I believe the moon is in a new moon phase.

[evra]

It depends on what you're looking for. MV lights tend to pull in the large things best in my experience, like Saturniids, Sphingids, large nocturnal scarabs, etc. UV lights are better for smaller moths, especially certain types of micro moths and Geometrids. Run both if you can. The new moon in June is probably an excellent time to collect at northern latitudes.

The collecting in the southwest is getting pretty good. I had a bunch (50-60) of Catocalas at my lights the other night, as well as some common Sphingids.

[leptraps]

I have 16 Bait Traps for Lepidoptera and 28 Pheromone Traps for Sesidae moths in Perry, Harrison and Crawford counties in Indiana, Scott, Owen, Franklin and McCreary counties in Kentucky. I collected Dysgonia smithii in a Bait Trap in Perry County. This is a tropical species. This is the northern most record. I have also taken an aberrant Basilarchia arthemis astyanax in Harrision County, Indiana and Owen County, Kentucky (Will post photographs later, currently on spreading boards). To date I have collected 31 species of butterflies in Bait Traps and 12 species of Sesidae moths. Including Paranthrene simulans (Including both forms “luggeri & palmi”) and Paranthrene dollii. I also collected a Paranthrene tabaniformis with a net in Crawford County, Indiana. I took two species of Enodia portlania missarkae in a Bait Trap in a large stand of Cane (Arundinaria gigantea) along the Little Oil Creek in Perry County, Indiana.

I have use Light Traps in all of the counties mentioned above and I have collect numerous moths, including some that were new to my collection. Acronicta betulae, A.dactylina, Lithophane patefacta, L.disposita, L.querguera, L. grotei, Eupsilia vinulenta and E. tristigmata. The Lithophane and Eupsilia were all collected in a "Kill Type" Bucket Bait Trap which has been in use since late October 2012.

I have many common Sphingid’s and Arctid’s in my light traps. I have also collected lots of beetles. I found three Lucanus elaphus beetles with some very impressive mandibles.

2013 has been a good year for me to date.

[prillbug4]

Because of the constant rain, this Spring, I haven't been able to do very much collecting. It's been cold at night in Central Illinois, a total difference from last Spring when it was warm and I was seeing insects even in early March, but winter Mothing was very good in February, and I was able to find some Elaterids in old dead trees in March.
Jeff Prill

[tgarden]

Here in SW Minnesota it is VERY slow. Lucky to see a dozen moths at the lights. Cool and rainy. By the way I have yet to see a Cabbage butterfly or a Alfalfa butterfly just very few leps day or night.