15 replies to this topic

[Saltynuts]

I'm trying to get a light to attract both alates (hopefully fertile) and other insects that I can feed my existing ants.  I had thought a black-light was the way to go, but on another thread (can't find it for the life of me), a gentleman recommended another bulb, a non-blacklight.  He said it has more rays of what attracts insects or what not.  Can anyone make any suggestions as to a good bulb to use?  

 

Also, kind of a related question, but if I get a bug zapper, will the zapped bugs be feedible to my ants after they are zapped?  I figure they might be blown into a million pieces, rather than just drop dead below the zapper, which would make that not a good tool for collecting feed flying insects.

 

Thanks!

[Canadian anter]

Its called a mercury vapor light.they're more expensive and fragile but more efficient. I wouldn't recommend feeding zapped bugs to your ants

[Martialis]

Its called a mercury vapor light.they're more expensive and fragile but more efficient. I wouldn't recommend feeding zapped bugs to your ants

 

Only thing is, you need special protection to work with them. The UV light they produce can hurt the eyes.

[gcsnelling]

No reason not to feed zapped insects to your ants. MV lights tends to not be super effective, I would just spend the money and shop bioquip. If you are plugging in to a wall socket just buy the bulb and use any appropriate size fixture.

Edited by gcsnelling, July 16 2017 - 5:34 PM.

[Saltynuts]

Thanks guys, definitely don't want to work with mercury vapor light if you need special protection and it can hurt your eyes.  What kind of light is it that bugs (and ants) are attracted to?  UV light?  If so, all I need to do is find a light that puts out a good bit of UV light (but no so much so as to hurt ones eyes?  Thanks!

[Saltynuts]

What about something like this:

 

https://www.amazon.c...racting insects

[gcsnelling]

What about something like this:

 

https://www.amazon.c...racting insects

 Probably not a good choice since it is rated to sterilize. I would at least go with the bioquip bulb.

[Canadian anter]

No reason not to feed zapped insects to your ants. MV lights tends to not be super effective, I would just spend the money and shop bioquip. If you are plugging in to a wall socket just buy the bulb and use any appropriate size fixture.

I find that the ones I find dead at my light are usually ignored by the ants

[Saltynuts]

What bioquip light are you guys referring to? I'll likely get it!

[Saltynuts]

Bump for the right light or order!

[Bryansant]

Discussed here: http://www.formicult...s/?fromsearch=1

[Bryansant]

If you use the forum's search tool you can find other threads on the light question/topic. Good reads

[gcsnelling]

http://bioquip.com/S...2900&prodtype=1

[Aquaexploder]

Ants ant other bugs are attracted to uv light. Their are different forms of uv light and the forms that they are most attracted to are called UV-A and UV-B. It doesn't need to be specifically a uv light though, it could also be a fluorescent light because they also emit uv light. For more information look here: http://www.formicult...ueens/?hl=light

[Hikari]

I just bought a $10 24" blacklight from Walmart and hung it in front of a sheet in my backyard. Plenty of bugs come to check it out when it's on, including ants (alates and otherwise). Lord knows the carpenter ants love it. They walk the wire holding up the sheet between the trees and raid the sheet for easy meals, lol. Might not be the best light, but it's cheap and it works.

[Salmon]

Why not use a bugzapper? Bugzappers are far more durable than naked bulbs, and you can usually get them cheap at junk stores (since they're actually worthless for killing mosquitoes once the little carbon dioxide packet thingy runs dry). You just have to take the top off and cut the wires connected to the metal zapping bit, and then it's harmless to insects. The only problem is that some bugs will go inside the plastic cage and it's very difficult to get them out, so a pair of long tweezers is a good idea.