17 replies to this topic

[StopSpazzing]

I was wondering why more people don't use full spectrum lighting instead of blacklighting?  There is a larger range of emitted light on a Full Spectrum light compared to a blacklight; ~380-840nm vs ~380-400nm. I recently purchased a 50W Full Spectrum LED and waiting to receive it, in the mean time want to know what people think.

[Jadeninja9]

Did you buy it online?

[StopSpazzing]

Did you buy it online?

Ofcourse, was cheap and once I get it will be doing a full inspection of it to make sure it operates properly.

[Jadeninja9]

Did you buy it online?

Ofcourse, was cheap and once I get it will be doing a full inspection of it to make sure it operates properly.

Can you link me it?

[StopSpazzing]

https://www.ebay.com...0V/222488870677

 

No driver needed which is nice. Just need a heatsink else you will fry the LED's. Can use a CPU heatsink/fan combo. I also purchased a lens and reflector + bracket: 

 

https://www.ebay.com...ty/142662373053

 

Less than $6 dollars total. Keep in mind this particular one requires AC110/220. I chose this cause I have an inverter for use in my car. Could have purchased a 100W + Driver + cigerette lighter plug and used less power but price goes up and so does the complication. I plan to in future however if this works out.

[Jadeninja9]

I’m just gonna stick to my 15ww black light with a portable charger lol

[C_B]

I’m just gonna stick to my 15ww black light with a portable charger lol

Got any links to those lol? I am hoping to try black lighting here in Reno and up in Lake Tahoe once it gets warmer.

[Chandlerk]

The only benefit to full spectrum would be additional heat emissions. But with LEDs you won't really even have that.

Otherwise it is less efficient. A 380-400nm will put out more UV than the equivalent power full spectrum LED.

https://goo.gl/images/x16cag

Full spectrum LEDs are one of the best lights to use IF you must use full spectrum. If I were using that, I would add a heat source, too.

You're looking for sub 400nm wavelengths because that is what attracts them, the rest is pretty much a waste.

[noebl1]

For the last couple years I've been anting, definitely noticed how the color temperature of the light makes a difference.  I had numerous ant queen species attracted to my driveway lights, so made it easy to find them just walking back and forth between the posts every few mins.  Last winter I replaced a couple of the bulbs with LEDs (they were a CFL of some unknown temperature), and the LEDs barely attract any insects, while looking brighter in the visible light I can see.  The old CFLs at the same time had noticeably more insects (not just ants) attracted to them.

Edited by noebl1, February 16 2018 - 10:39 AM.

[kellakk]

Many insect collectors use mercury vapor bulbs in addition to blacklights.  These go even further into the UV spectrum than blacklights, so they are good for attracting all sorts of insects.  The only downside is that they are too bright, so insects will fly in but then perch in dark areas further away. Because of this, some people set up multiple sheets with a mercury vapor bulb at one sheet and a blacklight at a sheet nearby.

 

Another technique that's often used, especially among beetle collectors, is to put a blacklight on a sheet on the ground.  This actually might be good for collecting ants as well, but I've never heard of it being done among anters.

[AntsMaryland]

Many insect collectors use mercury vapor bulbs in addition to blacklights.  These go even further into the UV spectrum than blacklights, so they are good for attracting all sorts of insects.  The only downside is that they are too bright, so insects will fly in but then perch in dark areas further away. Because of this, some people set up multiple sheets with a mercury vapor bulb at one sheet and a blacklight at a sheet nearby.

 

Another technique that's often used, especially among beetle collectors, is to put a blacklight on a sheet on the ground.  This actually might be good for collecting ants as well, but I've never heard of it being done among anters.

Interesting.

[ZllGGY]

Many insect collectors use mercury vapor bulbs in addition to blacklights.  These go even further into the UV spectrum than blacklights, so they are good for attracting all sorts of insects.  The only downside is that they are too bright, so insects will fly in but then perch in dark areas further away. Because of this, some people set up multiple sheets with a mercury vapor bulb at one sheet and a blacklight at a sheet nearby.

 

Another technique that's often used, especially among beetle collectors, is to put a blacklight on a sheet on the ground.  This actually might be good for collecting ants as well, but I've never heard of it being done among anters.

what about hanging the black light above the sheet on the ground?

[StopSpazzing]

Problem is LED's are so nm(light wavelength) directed that you would have to have UV LED's in all the available spectrum of UV 360-400nm for it to work. Thinking about building this setup in future, each LED emits a range of ~10nm so would need at least 4 to get the whole UV range, this is why Fluorescence works better, as it gets that complete range. Downfall to FL, tend to waste more power and are breakable.
 

 

Many insect collectors use mercury vapor bulbs in addition to blacklights.  These go even further into the UV spectrum than blacklights, so they are good for attracting all sorts of insects.  The only downside is that they are too bright, so insects will fly in but then perch in dark areas further away. Because of this, some people set up multiple sheets with a mercury vapor bulb at one sheet and a blacklight at a sheet nearby.
 
Another technique that's often used, especially among beetle collectors, is to put a blacklight on a sheet on the ground.  This actually might be good for collecting ants as well, but I've never heard of it being done among anters.

what about hanging the black light above the sheet on the ground?

 

Should still work.

Edited by StopSpazzing, February 17 2018 - 12:18 AM.

[dspdrew]

Like Chandlerk said, some of the power that light will be consuming is a just waste. The most efficient use of power would be a plain UV light like the ones used in bug zappers. Those are the same as black lights, just without the filter added to them to filter out the majority of visible light.

 

Here is the trap I started building a few years ago but never finished.
 
http://www.formicult...rch-and-design/

[gcsnelling]

You might try these bulbs, http://www.leptraps.com/uvmvbulbs.htm

 

you can likely get them cheaper some place else though. When running a light I generally use a vertical sheet and one flat one the ground.

 

some good information here

 

http://insectnet.pro...lack-light-blue

Edited by gcsnelling, February 17 2018 - 5:08 AM.

[Martialis]

You might try these bulbs, http://www.leptraps.com/uvmvbulbs.htm

 

you can likely get them cheaper some place else though. When running a light I generally use a vertical sheet and one flat one the ground.

 

some good information here

 

http://insectnet.pro...lack-light-blue

What's the ballast for those bulbs ?

[123LordOfAnts123]

I’m partial to mercury vapor lights; their brightness seeems to attract more insects from farther away.

[StopSpazzing]

I’m partial to mercury vapor lights; their brightness seeems to attract more insects from farther away.

@ 400W sure would be much brighter than small blacklights and such, so obviously this is the case

 

We will compare our findings once I have built a 400W LED blacklight setup.