quark
New Member
Posts: 2
|
Post by quark on Apr 26, 2011 21:41:10 GMT -8
Im new to the site and was wondering what you could use to atract moths here in South texas? Ive heard you can use honey to attract them is this true?Is there any better methods to attract them at night?
|
|
|
|
Post by starlightcriminal on Apr 27, 2011 5:06:55 GMT -8
Lights are the first and obvious one. Mercury Vapor, Halide, Actinic and fluorescent (in that order) are the best. Not sure if MV or Halide is better, they're basically the same. Both get HOT. I use actinic because I had some spares laying around from my reef tank which has now converted to LED. Not sure if anyone has tried LED yet but they certainly are low cost, no heat, long life and with the correct Kelvin output for corals to reproduce so they obviously generate the correct nm range light.
As far as "sugaring" goes, most people use some type of fermented fruit/alcohol mixture or a variation on that like honey and yeast or something similar. Lots of different recipes available online. I use banana, brown sugar and beer. Only moderately successful with this, I have actually captured more Catacola at my actinic light (though I suppose they might be attracted to the smell and then distracted by the light but it also worked when I wasn't sugaring so who knows for certain).
|
|
|
|
Post by starlightcriminal on Apr 27, 2011 5:08:11 GMT -8
Forgot, the actinic are compact fluorescent bulbs. They are available at places that service marine systems. Not too cheap for a lamp but nothing like halide or mv and run very cool relatively.
|
|
quark
New Member
Posts: 2
|
Post by quark on Apr 27, 2011 14:50:11 GMT -8
thanks ill try the recipe for tonite  I live out in the country so i tend to get tons of the little buggers and a few of the huge ones. You think a regular uv light would work?I have one from an old reptile tank that i dont use. |
|
|
|
Post by 58chevy on May 3, 2011 13:26:01 GMT -8
Quark,
A combination of mercury vapor (or halide) and fluorescent UV ("white blacklight") seems to be the standard for moth collecting. The leptraps website has some great (but pricey) light rigs. Fruit bait (esp. bananas), as well as brown sugar mixed with water and beer or yeast, also works well. Where in TX are you located? I'm in the Houston area.
|
|
I live out in the country so i tend to get tons of the little buggers and a few of the huge ones. You think a regular uv light would work?I have one from an old reptile tank that i dont use.
