lep apple mesh question

[joniverson]

Since a neighbor was kind enough to let me take some old apples off her hands, I am going to make some lep bait.  Since this type can apparently be frozen, I want to make up several batches to use throughout the summer.  The question is simple, but I don't see it addressed anywhere: when you make up your apple bait, do you include or not include the apple skins?

Thank you. 

[leptraps]

Keep in "All Natural". Add some sugar and water. Banana work well to get it started.

[joniverson]

Got the apples today. Ground up a small portion in the blender after removing the cores. Kept the skins. Once pureed, I added some sugar and froze a bag. I'll take it out in a day or two and start letting it ferment. Right now, there's berries and sugar in the trap. A neighbor brought by some freshly picked raspberries. I set some aside to try using as bait.

I haven't had too many daytime leps this year so far. June here has been cooler than usual with low humidity and brisk winds during the day. I don't think this is ideal for leps. Warmer weather will eventually arrive. Due to the crisis and the inability to obtain fruit on a regular basis, only one trap is in place this year and I am going to try and keep it stocked.

[joniverson]

Well, disappointed in the apple bait so far. A week ago, I had mixed up a couple of apples with some sugar. It's been in the trap for several days and very little activity. Unfortunately, no access to bananas this year, or should I say no EASY access. I may consider getting a few and keeping them in the refrigerator and just adding one to the apple mix. Not sure if its worth the trouble.

[joniverson]

Apple and sugar mixture. Been in the trap for at least ten days. The only thing coming to it are wasps, no butterflies. For those saying apple & sugar works, I'd appreciate any insight because mine isn't. As I said before, bananas are difficult for me to obtain this year, so trying to stick to what I can get which is apples, and the occasional raspberries and watermelon.

On the other hand, another dish in the trap has a mixture recommended online by several moth-ers: beer and brown sugar. Plenty of moths seem attracted to that overnight. Does nothing for butterflies though.

[joniverson]

Well, today I took the trap down and put it away for the season. I tried both an apple/ sugar mixture as well as stale beer/ brown sugar. I can't see where the apple-sugar mixture worked at all, even after almost two weeks. I'd try adding fresh cider to it, but to no avail. The stale beer/ brown sugar did seem to be attracting moths at night, but nothing but mainly bumblebees during the day. In fact, the bumblebees seemed to absolutely love the mix and kept flying around for a good couple of hours after the trap was removed.

Unless I was missing something, for me at least, apples and sugar didn't attract leps. I used store bought apples, de-cored them, but left the skins and ground them up two weeks ago.

Under the circumstances, I will have to forego butterflies this year. I simply cannot justify making a special trip (or specially ordering like I've mostly been doing) bananas just to make mash. I'm having a hard enough time staying out of the stores and ordering everything online.

Thanks again to all those who tried to help. I guess I have to either add some banana or it's a no go.

[trehopr1]

Hey Joniverson, don't be so quick to throw the towel in yet on bait trapping this year. After reading several field reports it is clear that cycles this year are a bit off. It seems anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks off at least.

Heck, mothman27 only just reported today the first captures of the year for Catocala; and it is literally the end of June. I think you can expect to see the early summer species of Catocala epione, coccinata, illecta, ilia and others begin emerging within the next 7 to 10 days.
I believe either a turbulent spring this year has set the cycles back or perhaps our previous winter (which in some places) may have been harsh is now causing things to emerge later then is usual.

Rather than mess around cutting up fruit and fermenting it for your bait trap I am suggesting a more Neanderthal approach. I suggest you try putting a clean sponge in the bottom of your bait trap and saturate it with a cheap fruity wine. Set it out and see what happens by the next morning. If that does not work wait three days and try another fruity brand of wine. Just buy cheap wines (at five bucks or less) a bottle but, make sure they are odiferous. The scent of something fruity is all you need to attract hungry moths. If you are rewarded with some goodies then either stick with a brand that works or at least keep on trying...

This is merely a suggestion as I am certainly no guru at bait trapping. The main idea is to just get the moths attracted to the trap and they will go into the trap where they can be contained until your arrival.Just try this caveman method on a night when there is no wind or very little. Just enough to get the scent around locally. Too windy a night will only dry out the sponge quickly.

It won't hurt to give this idea a whirl and see what comes of it...

Wishing you all the best and "good hunting"!