27 replies to this topic

[Ants_Dakota]

 

I use an LED blacklight set up on a small table in my backyard. I live in a city, so it only got me two preno queens, but at least it seemed to attract them (So if you used it in a forest or something it would probably attract more). It probably isn’t the most powerful/best one you can get, but it seems to be fine. I’ll see if I can find the link, its on Amazon.

It’s also about timing, so I hope you find more nights that you are able to try it in your yard.


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i was planning on doing it every week. does that sound good?

[Ants_Dakota]

I had tremendous success with this bulb screwed in a lamp I shined on a sheet. https://www.amazon.c...g?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i will probably use that. does it use a regular socket?

Here are some links to MV bulbs for sale that I'd recommend:

160W coated self ballasted

https://www.ebay.ca/...3sAAOSwqaJaYnln

250 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)

https://www.ebay.com...0.c100891.m5206

400 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)

https://www.ebay.com...S-/282148014398

750 watt self ballasted half clear (i have this one and will be adding it to my setup next spring)

https://www.ebay.ca/...egAAOSwJxpfII0L

Also almost all mercury vapor bulbs are mogul base, meaning they won't fit into a normal socket. These adapters have worked for me: https://www.amazon.c...base ad&sr=8-14

which wattage do you suggest? 

[Manitobant]

I had tremendous success with this bulb screwed in a lamp I shined on a sheet. https://www.amazon.c...g?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i will probably use that. does it use a regular socket?

Here are some links to MV bulbs for sale that I'd recommend:
160W coated self ballastedhttps://www.ebay.ca/...3sAAOSwqaJaYnln
250 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)https://www.ebay.com...0.c100891.m5206
400 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)https://www.ebay.com...S-/282148014398
750 watt self ballasted half clear (i have this one and will be adding it to my setup next spring)https://www.ebay.ca/...egAAOSwJxpfII0L
Also almost all mercury vapor bulbs are mogul base, meaning they won't fit into a normal socket. These adapters have worked for me: https://www.amazon.c...base ad&sr=8-14

which wattage do you suggest?

it really depends on what kind of area you plan to trap in. If you're in a large clearing or field higher wattage is better, while in the middle of a forest lower wattage is better because some of the bugs will land on the surrounding trees and not the sheet. The best all around bulb would probably be a 250 or 400 watt though any bulb works.

[Ants_Dakota]

 

 

I had tremendous success with this bulb screwed in a lamp I shined on a sheet. https://www.amazon.c...g?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i will probably use that. does it use a regular socket?

Here are some links to MV bulbs for sale that I'd recommend:
160W coated self ballastedhttps://www.ebay.ca/...3sAAOSwqaJaYnln
250 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)https://www.ebay.com...0.c100891.m5206
400 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)https://www.ebay.com...S-/282148014398
750 watt self ballasted half clear (i have this one and will be adding it to my setup next spring)https://www.ebay.ca/...egAAOSwJxpfII0L
Also almost all mercury vapor bulbs are mogul base, meaning they won't fit into a normal socket. These adapters have worked for me: https://www.amazon.c...base ad&sr=8-14

which wattage do you suggest?

it really depends on what kind of area you plan to trap in. If you're in a large clearing or field higher wattage is better, while in the middle of a forest lower wattage is better because some of the bugs will land on the surrounding trees and not the sheet. The best all around bulb would probably be a 250 or 400 watt though any bulb works.

 

thanks! i will probably get a larger bulb once i have the funds. for now, i will stick with the cheaper blacklights. thanks!

[Ants_Dakota]

Usually I get around 60-70% mated queens at my light, depending on species. I got the LED strips on amazon, couldn't tell you the exact ones. Flights are primarily in the evening and early morning. This summer I'd be basically nocturnal assuming I wasn't working, wake up in the evening, blacklight, stay up, blacklight again in the morning, go to bed at noon   

You can get away with getting a few ZZZs between blacklight sessions, though. I did an anting trip this summer with friends before I moved to AZ where we camped for about 3 days in rural southern IL. We'd blacklight from ~8:30pm to ~10:30pm, spend an hour tubing everything, sleep by midnight, then wake up at 4:30 and blacklight again until ~5:45, then go anting all day. It was extremely exhausting but totally worth it.

do you recommend in the morning or the night more? that is a great mating percentage rate as well!

[Ants_Dakota]

Thread Revival! In my search for my blacklighting equipment, i ran across the problem of how to power the blacklights if i was to be away from my house and 3 or so extensions cords, or away from a car(with a car power inverter) Is there some kind of portable battery people use? Or am i just going to have to lug a spare car battery around(or even worse, take it out of my car and haul it into the woods...)

Edited by Ants_Dakota, September 21 2022 - 5:33 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Look into the portable batteries Jackery makes. I got one off of Amazon, and it’s awesome.

[Ants_Dakota]

Look into the portable batteries Jackery makes. I got one off of Amazon, and it’s awesome.

Wow, those things do look awesome and high quality. I guess i better get saving up over the winter to afford one though. What one specifically do you have?

Edited by Ants_Dakota, September 22 2022 - 5:25 AM.