LED based moth light

[lepidopterafarms]

I have been doing a significant amount of research on this topic and actually have developed a few prototypes of a moth light using LEDs instead on MV(Mercury Vapor) or other lights with a high UV index.  The main problem with these lights are the power consumption.  They often need a mains power supply or a large bulky battery which makes them inefficient for field collecting.  Thats why I bring up the use of LEDs, not only do they have a very low power consumption they also make way to a very light portable light that can be powered off of a single portable power supply rather than a mains or bulky battery.  I then started researching LED moth lights. I came up with the Gemlight, Lepiled and entoled. But these lights range from $200-$600. They all use 2-4 UV LEDS that use a spectrum of 365-375nm Most moths are attracted to this spectrum so I decided I could build a LED light for a lot less than $200.
  I ordered all the parts and I started to put it together. My light uses 3 UV LEDS with a spectrum of 355-410nm then a green along with a blue just to match the overall spectrum some insects and moths are attracted too.The total cost set me back around $30, though I was able to make around 5 of these lights.  They operate on both a built in power supply thats rechargeable.  I ran them for a couple of nights and was in complete surprise at how well they worked, not only did the light itself keep cool, it also attracted quite alot of moths as well as insects.  I will continue into the research and hopefully will be able to make a cheap and portable moth light that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to buy. Id love to get some feedback as well as pointers on how to develop this further.  

[exoticimports]

Leroy presented the results of testing he did, and the wavelengths were poor.

That was a few years ago, maybe they have improved.

[58chevy]

I used to do a lot of collecting at gas stations when they used MV lights. They attracted tons of moths. When they switched to LED lights, the moths disappeared. I am very skeptical that any LED light would attract more than a small fraction of the moths that MV lights attract. Keep us posted on how your LED rig is performing. If you continue to get good results, you might be onto something.

[leptraps]

LED lights are a very energy efficient light source. In the summer of 2018 I was sent a LED Wand Light System to try in a Light Traps. I used it several time and was not impressed. The design principle of LED was energy efficient.

The clear Mercury Vapor bulbs produced a tremendous amount of UV. They were also not very efficient.

Visit any restaurant that prepares food and you will find fly traps. All of them use a Florescent UV bulb. These are not bug zappers. These use "Sicky Boards" to retain the flies. The last thing McDonald's wants to hear you say, "There is a fly in my fries".....

However, if you look around you will find them on the wall. They look like decorative lighting.

It is awful hard to beat a 15 Watt BL UV BULB. A small motorcycle battery will run a 15 Watt BL all night.

I created Leptraps in the 1980's. I have produce over 7500 Light Traps and 4000 collecting light Units. I have sold product into 76 countries and had the used on every continent, including Antarctica.

Now I am going to brag a little bit and you get to do a little "Check me out". The Bikini Atoll. Do you know what happened on the Bikini Atoll in 1948?.

If you can answer the question, I will tell you what Leptraps did.

[jshuey]

May 14, 2020 14:33:41 GMT -8 lepidopterafarms said:

I have been doing a significant amount of research on this topic and actually have developed a few prototypes of a moth light using LEDs instead on MV(Mercury Vapor) or other lights with a high UV index.  The main problem with these lights are the power consumption.  They often need a mains power supply or a large bulky battery which makes them inefficient for field collecting.  Thats why I bring up the use of LEDs, not only do they have a very low power consumption they also make way to a very light portable light that can be powered off of a single portable power supply rather than a mains or bulky battery.  I then started researching LED moth lights. I came up with the Gemlight, Lepiled and entoled. But these lights range from $200-$600. They all use 2-4 UV LEDS that use a spectrum of 365-375nm Most moths are attracted to this spectrum so I decided I could build a LED light for a lot less than $200.
  I ordered all the parts and I started to put it together. My light uses 3 UV LEDS with a spectrum of 355-410nm then a green along with a blue just to match the overall spectrum some insects and moths are attracted too.The total cost set me back around $30, though I was able to make around 5 of these lights.  They operate on both a built in power supply thats rechargeable.  I ran them for a couple of nights and was in complete surprise at how well they worked, not only did the light itself keep cool, it also attracted quite alot of moths as well as insects.  I will continue into the research and hopefully will be able to make a cheap and portable moth light that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to buy. Id love to get some feedback as well as pointers on how to develop this further.  

I'd love to see your plans for these. I've been looking for a lite weight light to take along on vacations. something my wife won't complain about, if yo know what I mean.

john

[58chevy]

Leroy, Bikini Atoll was blown up by an atomic bomb. What did you do?

[trehopr1]

For a period of 9 years I frequented a well lit site (monument) in Illinois. Visited it on average 2x a summer. A hot spot for all things nocturnal and with 6 legs. The 1500 watt Mercury vapor lights would kick on at 9:00pm and cut off at 2;00am but, sometimes go until 3;00 am (depending on who set the timers). Imagine, 8 1500 watt Merc. vapors lighting up one place. To say the least, I had some pretty good evenings there!

However, as the saying goes: all good things must come to an end... With that, one Sept. evening some kids from a local college went up there and got "stinko drunk" and destructive and decided to smash most of the lights in the light wells and/or yank out the wiring as well. The damage I was told ran several thousand...

The local church organization which presided over the property decided that once the grounds and monument were "spruced up" the lighting would be switched over to a more cost effective LED lighting arrangement. The new lighting went in 3 years ago and I have visited this once revered "holy land" of mine during the past 2 summers. Simply put: awful, horrendous, and completely a let-down.

It's ruined... The good stuff is still there what with all the relict forest around, but they just don't come to this new light source. Stood there one night last summer for 4 hours straight and barely came away with fewer than 20 specimens of any truly good stuff.

I really have nothing good to say about LED or Halogen lights in terms of attracting insects !

[gaspipe]

May 15, 2020 2:58:01 GMT -8 leptraps said:

LED lights are a very energy efficient light source. In the summer of 2018 I was sent a LED Wand Light System to try in a Light Traps. I used it several time and was not impressed. The design principle of LED was energy efficient.

The clear Mercury Vapor bulbs produced a tremendous amount of UV. They were also not very efficient.

Visit any restaurant that prepares food and you will find fly traps. All of them use a Florescent UV bulb. These are not bug zappers. These use "Sicky Boards" to retain the flies. The last thing McDonald's wants to hear you say, "There is a fly in my fries".....

However, if you look around you will find them on the wall. They look like decorative lighting.

It is awful hard to beat a 15 Watt BL UV BULB. A small motorcycle battery will run a 15 Watt BL all night.

I created Leptraps in the 1980's. I have produce over 7500 Light Traps and 4000 collecting light Units. I have sold product into 76 countries and had the used on every continent, including Antarctica.

Now I am going to brag a little bit and you get to do a little "Check me out". The Bikini Atoll. Do you know what happened on the Bikini Atoll in 1948?.

If you can answer the question, I will tell you what Leptraps did.

All I know is that I wouldn’t have want to have been a resident on the Bikini Atoll in 1948.

[leptraps]

In 2008 I was contacted by the US Navy and the Navy had the security for the Bikini Atolls. 2008 was the 50th anniversary of the H Bomb testing on the Bikini Islands (Attols). Each of the eight Atolls was obliterated. No even a fly survived the blast.

If you visit the website for the Bikini Islands, there are two photographs of the Nuclear Blast. If you look at the column of the blast, you will notice all of the naval ships at the base. A black virtical line/dash in the column is the Battleship USS Indiana, going for a ride.

I will not bore you with the details. However, I actually own a Geiger counter. I managed to acquire " Hot" rocks from four of the Islands. I have also been to trinity and Hiroshima. I also have a melted beer bottle from another nuclear site. And it is hot, it tickles my Geiger counter.

I have seen and been to some incredible sites because of Leptraps or being a Lepidopterist.

My wife has even been to Trinity. She said she got a real bang out of the visit. I told her that her eyes would glow in the dark. When we checked in to the Motel that night, she went and looked in the mirror. She came back to bed and beat my arm black and blue.

I also have two flies (Diptera)from the Bikini Islands and a Beetle (Coleoptera) from Trinity. I found no Lepidoptera at either location.

[58chevy]

Anybody who is a fan of 1950s sci-fi movies knows what can happen to insects that have been exposed to nuclear radiation.