UV moth traps

[Uv moth notingha]

Hi , I have built a skinner moth trap .. the light is a 14w flo tube .. but so far only a couple of macro moths have been caught ! last year I caught about 20 in a cardboard box with a light bulb over it .... (it was late summer ) would putting blue selophane over the bulb bring it towards the uv end of the spectrum ... or should I invest in a 15w uv tube .... a uv tube should atract as many moths as a mv ..in theory ?(!) Any Help gratefully taken ...

[ornithom]

Hi,

I'm not too sure whether the blue selophane idea would work? In theory it seems plausible, but in practice it could be a bit dodgy if the bulb gets hot or something similar.

When I started trapping the only bit of kit I actually paid for was my 15W Actinic bulb setup. It was £25 but it was so worth the money. Fluorescent bulbs just won't pull in the moths. Trust me, I've tried!

Save up and take the plunge!

Happy mothing

Steve T

[Uv moth notingha]

So dont get me wrong ... an actinic light is just plain uv .... they (proper actinic moth lights ) seem to be wildly over priced online at alana ecology , bio quip, etc .. But you can get Uv tube lights for little over a tenner ....
the flo tube has so far only attracted scalloped hazel , garden carpet , brimstone , and one unknown (suspected dart species ) would having a uv light really increase catch size and moth pulling power ???

[Fauna]

Have you tried. Mercury Lamps - All types

I get all my mothing equip from here, i've found it great for value and service.

Regards Chris.

[ornithom]

Without a doubt it's better!!

As an example (and to test this theory for myself) I tried my Actinic and normal fluorescent bulbs on consequetive nights (in April). Both nights were almost identical in terms of temperature, wind speed, cloud cover and moon conditions. The Actinic pulled in 13 moths and the following night the fluorescent managed 3.

I guess it depends on funds and how serious you want to invest. For me, the choice was also determined by the fact that my garden is overlooked slightly so I couldn't get a massively expensive, super-bright MV bulb.

Actinic works perfect for me, and the results have made for fascinating viewing for the whole family!

Regards

Steve T

[Uv moth notingha]

So am I right in saying that a uv "blacklight " will atract loads of moths , you know , one of those purple tube lights .
Is it the uv moths are attracted to , or is it the brightness of the uv . Mv is very bright , therefore spreding the light out over a long way, therfore all the moths that can see it home in ?
So is a uv blacklight tube basicly an actinic light ???

[ornithom]

In answer to your questions:

So am I right in saying that a uv "blacklight " will atract loads of moths , you know , one of those purple tube lights .

Yes, a blacklight bulb will work well.

Is it the uv moths are attracted to , or is it the brightness of the uv .

As far as I'm aware the moths are attracted because of the UV light emitted, and the intensity/brightness of that UV will attract moths from further away. I draw your attention to my first post, in which I chose actinic bulb as I live in a suburban street and don't want to annoy the neighbours!

So is a uv blacklight tube basicly an actinic light ???

Actinic light is light which causes photo-reactions, eg to moths but also promotes photosynthesis so these types of bulbs are used in auqariums. Blacklight and actinic are pretty much the same, just slight differences in wavelengths.

Hope that helps

Steve T

[Uv moth notingha]

Does anybody know where I can get hold of an actinic or blacklight lamp fitting !!! Lots of bulbs/tubes , even proper actinic lights ! But no fitting
Ive checked all the big bulb retailers :nothing . Ebay :nothing . The web :nothing !!
Help is dearly required .... the hawk moth season is almost upon us , I dont want to miss out on the fun !!

[ornithom]

I bought a normal 15W fluorescent bulb/fitting and swaped the bulb for the 15W Actinic 350BL.

I was advised to do this I hasten to add, I was a complete newbie when it came to the electrics!

Cheers

Steve T

[Graham Barker]

hello
i use an actinic bulb, 15w, as i have close neighbours...i tried using the black actinic bulb but the results were poor...so ive gone back to the normal actinic bulb.
visit this website for your answers:

Mercury Vapour MAIN PAGE

theres loads of info about mv and actinic. theres an email option at the bottom of the page and the guy who supplies the electrics, paul, is full of useful info and willing to assist and help. i reckon hes also cheap to purchase ready to go kits of any sort or he will send the bits and you can do it yourself if you would rather.
also, its not just the bulb but also where you are and weather conditions that affect your catch.
good luck and have fun.
graham