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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

DIY moth traps - any tips for improvements? (1 Viewer)

AndrewParker said:
Thanks for the link.

The draft regulation in question is due to come into force on 1 July 2006. However Schedule 3 list specific exceptions to the regulations:

SCHEDULE 3 Regulation 4 (2)
1. Mercury in compact fluorescent lamps not exceeding 5 mg per lamp.
2. Mercury in straight fluorescent lamps for general purposes not exceeding
- halophosphate 10 mg
- triphosphate with normal lifetime 5 mg
- triphosphate with long lifetime 8 mg
3. Mercury in straight fluorescent lamps for special purposes.
4. Mercury in other lamps not specifically mentioned in this Schedule.​

4. would apprear to include MV bulbs, and either to include Actinic or they would fall under 3. Therefore there appears to be no problem! It is not clear if these regulations have come into force, as this link contains no date of entry.

Andrew.
I hope I'm not breaching copyright but someone on UKmoths quoted Paul Batty's response to someone who made much the same point: > Yes, you may be correct - there's probably a get out for us under the
special uses clauses, which would allow me (possibly) to sell existing
stocks, but the main problem will come if no-one makes the lamps any more.
>
> Then we have to get someone to make them for our "special use" which may
be acceptable to the regs, but the price will go along with the rest of the
special uses - £40 per lamp !

Ken
 
Vanes

Harry,

Do you sit your vanes in the funnel or do you fix them to the funnel as in the bought trap I've borrowed? They stick a long way up from the trap. Is this necessary?

Pete H
 
Pete Haynes said:
Harry,

Do you sit your vanes in the funnel or do you fix them to the funnel as in the bought trap I've borrowed? They stick a long way up from the trap. Is this necessary?

Pete H

Hello Pete,

The bottom of the vanes are angled so as to accurately fit into the angle of the cone, (in the case of my trap exactly 45 degrees). Surprisingly they stay in place even in a good breeze. I've only had them blow over once. They are not fastened in place, they are free standing.

I do a lot of recording on moorland and most of the larger moth species in this habitat tend to dive into the light radius and zoom off, never to be seen again, thus the height of the vanes helps to catch those species I might otherwise miss.

In areas where there is constant high wind where there is a danger of the vanes being blown over, a couple of lengths of strong twine running from the top of the vanes to tent pegs on the upwind side of the trap should anchor them sufficiently and stop any tendency for them to blow over.

It's a matter of personal preference I suppose as to whether you use vanes or not, I prefer them.

Harry
 
Vanes

Thanks Harry

I will try the same idea as yours on my next funnel but with a rainguard, made from the same polycarbonate as the cone, mounted on top of the vanes.

Pete H
 
Pete Haynes said:
Thanks Harry

I will try the same idea as yours on my next funnel but with a rainguard, made from the same polycarbonate as the cone, mounted on top of the vanes.

Pete H

Hello Peter,
My vanes are made from 'Crystaglass' a clear plastic available from many DIY outlets. It comes with a paper covering so marking out the shapes to be cut can all be made, and the vanes cut out, before the paper covering is removed. This will help prevent scratching. If you use this plastic, ignore the instructions to score a groove and snap it like glass, it doesn't work reliably, it's better to cut it using a saw. Take your time and cut slowly otherwise the plastic melts with the friction, jamming the blade. The heat of the M.V. bulb has no effect on this plastic as long as there is a 1/4" gap between the vanes and the bulb.

I have little use for rainshields, rain seldom falls vertically, it's usually falling at an angle. Making the rainshields larger to compensate, just cuts down the area that moths have to enter the trap, especially when a good many specimens spiral down vertically into the trap.

Harry
 
Surreybirder said:
I hope I'm not breaching copyright but someone on UKmoths quoted Paul Batty's response to someone who made much the same point: > Yes, you may be correct - there's probably a get out for us under the
special uses clauses, which would allow me (possibly) to sell existing
stocks, but the main problem will come if no-one makes the lamps any more.
>
> Then we have to get someone to make them for our "special use" which may
be acceptable to the regs, but the price will go along with the rest of the
special uses - £40 per lamp !

Ken

Paul Batty seems to be unreasonably pesimistic. Not only will he be able to sell existing stock, there is NO restriction on the manufacture of new units, so I see no reason why the current situation should change. Moth collecting is not the primary market for these lights, and the other users will not suddenly stop using them so the manufacture will continue. The only change I see is in the requirement to provide a disposal service (which is not in this regulation).

Andrew.
 
AndrewParker said:
Paul Batty seems to be unreasonably pesimistic. Not only will he be able to sell existing stock, there is NO restriction on the manufacture of new units, so I see no reason why the current situation should change. Moth collecting is not the primary market for these lights, and the other users will not suddenly stop using them so the manufacture will continue. The only change I see is in the requirement to provide a disposal service (which is not in this regulation).

Andrew.
I hope you're right!!
But I may stock up with a couple of spare bulbs just in case!
Ken
 
Following a few suggestions I have modified my moth trap so it now has a larger entrance funnel.
I have also turned the light upside down so that the cable is at the top & doesn't obstruct the funnel, it's also easier to remove the light from the trap.

I tried the trap last night, I wasn't expecting to catch much as it was cold and very windy - just one shuttle-shaped Dart & a White-shouldered House Moth. Hopefully tonight will be a little better.
 

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400mark said:
Following a few suggestions I have modified my moth trap so it now has a larger entrance funnel.
I have also turned the light upside down so that the cable is at the top & doesn't obstruct the funnel, it's also easier to remove the light from the trap.

I tried the trap last night, I wasn't expecting to catch much as it was cold and very windy - just one shuttle-shaped Dart & a White-shouldered House Moth. Hopefully tonight will be a little better.

It may be in your area, but I've already got a frost and it's only 10.30pm. I don't think I'll bother trapping tonight. I don't have to trap white-shouldered house moths, I can catch enough of them inside my house. lol.

Harry
 
Last two nights

Last night (despite the lower temp - 3.1 compared with 6.1 deg C min) was better than the previous two nights 16 moths of 8 species, with my first Purple Bar making it worthwhile, as opposed to 13 moths of 7 species on the 13th, including the attached Pug, which I thought was White-spotted at first but now think its Common Pug (my first of either), plus a Scalloped Hazel, Poplar Hawkmoth, a Shuttle-shaped Dart, another Shears (different one this time) and the micro attached (long antennae and 10-12 mm long) - all ideas welcomed.

I have also attached a piccie of a Small Pheonix picked off the porch door on the 12th. Included it as it shows the charasteristic curled up abdomen resting position.

All the best

Pete H
 

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I like the small phoenix, Pete. I wouldn't like to say on the pug... it doesn't look spotted enough to be white-spotted to me but I don't have much experience. The micro is Nempatapogon swammerdamella in my view, but Graham will probably only accept it if he can dissect it (see similar pic on 'moving into May' thread).
I only had a waved umber and a Hebrew character plus one escaped carpet last night!
Ken
 
I have now upgraded my moth trap to the "Pete Haynes" style DIY moth trap as described above.
I would like to thank Pete for sharing his design, providing help & clear instructions on how to put it together/where to get the components and being kind enough to send me templates for the cone and vanes!

Thanks Pete for all your help! :clap:

It is quite a sizeable trap but its very sturdy and the vanes do not need to be secured, unless very windy.
I can look forward to many years mothing with this trap. |:D|
 

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400mark said:
I have now upgraded my moth trap to the "Pete Haynes" style DIY moth trap as described above.
I would like to thank Pete for sharing his design, providing help & clear instructions on how to put it together/where to get the components and being kind enough to send me templates for the cone and vanes!

Thanks Pete for all your help! :clap:

It is quite a sizeable trap but its very sturdy and the vanes do not need to be secured, unless very windy.
I can look forward to many years mothing with this trap. |:D|

Congratulations 400mark,

That's a very neat job.

All you need now are the Moths, not every night is a good one unfortunately.

If you get bored watching the trap you can pass the time counting the Daiseys. lol.

Harry
 
harry eales said:
Hello Peter,
My vanes are made from 'Crystaglass' a clear plastic available from many DIY outlets. It comes with a paper covering so marking out the shapes to be cut can all be made, and the vanes cut out, before the paper covering is removed. This will help prevent scratching. If you use this plastic, ignore the instructions to score a groove and snap it like glass, it doesn't work reliably, it's better to cut it using a saw. Take your time and cut slowly otherwise the plastic melts with the friction, jamming the blade. The heat of the M.V. bulb has no effect on this plastic as long as there is a 1/4" gap between the vanes and the bulb.

I have little use for rainshields, rain seldom falls vertically, it's usually falling at an angle. Making the rainshields larger to compensate, just cuts down the area that moths have to enter the trap, especially when a good many specimens spiral down vertically into the trap.

Harry
Hi Harry
Do you think moths ever injure themselves when colliding with vanes? They can come in at a helluva lick and with their eyes being positioned where there are, I wonder if they get damaged.
 
Aquila said:
Hi Harry
Do you think moths ever injure themselves when colliding with vanes? They can come in at a helluva lick and with their eyes being positioned where there are, I wonder if they get damaged.

Hello Aquila,

I suppose that it is possible, but I cannot say that I have noted any adverse effects. Certainly if one or both of the antennae were lost in such a collision the specimen would suffer from some sensory deprivation, but I cannot say I have seen any moth loose these organs as a direct result of such a collision.

Very small micro's (and flies) sometimes get terminated by the heat of an MV bulb by flying too close to it but larger moths and other insects seem little, if at all effected.

Moths, having an 'exoskeleton' are pretty tough creatures, so I would think any impact damage would, in nearly all instances, be minimal. There is far more damage likely to be caused, by certain suction traps where the moths have to survive passing through rotating fan blades.

Harry
 
Thanks Harry.
By the way, talking of making vanes and getting them to stand up in the funnel, you really have to be very accurate with your angles and cutting don't you? I've found it quite difficult (but then I am to DIY what Frank Bruno is to flower-arranging). How do you fix them together - with little screw-on brackets?
 
Aquila said:
Thanks Harry.
By the way, talking of making vanes and getting them to stand up in the funnel, you really have to be very accurate with your angles and cutting don't you? I've found it quite difficult (but then I am to DIY what Frank Bruno is to flower-arranging). How do you fix them together - with little screw-on brackets?

Hello Andy,

Yes, you do have to be accurate about angles and precision cutting, being an engineer at one time in my life, was distinctly helpful, I must admit. It may be that your local DIY supply store my have a cutting service that could do the job for you. provided you have an accurate diagram or drawing of what you want cutting.

I measured my angles with a protractor and a steel rule, as long as your entry cone doesn't have a vertical lip, it's a simple task to accomplish. If you don't get the angle at the bottom of the vanes right, they will not 'sit' properly, and so will not be stable.

My vanes consist of 1/8" (4mm) thick 'Crystaglass' clear plastic which is fairly rigid and consist of 3 parts which are fixed together using small 5/8" angle brackets, nuts, bolts and washers. See post 19 of this thread for a photograph.

You don't need an engineering workshop to make the vanes, I just used a Workmate, a couple of clamps and a handsaw to cut the vanes out, and a sharp file for final fitting, and squaring off the edges. A small hand drill and a drill bit for the bolt holes completed to tool list.

Take your time, check every measurement at least twice before cutting.

Remember there are many tools that can remove material, but very few that put it back on.

Harry
 
New moth trap

400mark said:
I have now upgraded my moth trap to the "Pete Haynes" style DIY moth trap as described above.
I would like to thank Pete for sharing his design, providing help & clear instructions on how to put it together/where to get the components and being kind enough to send me templates for the cone and vanes!

Thanks Pete for all your help! :clap:

It is quite a sizeable trap but its very sturdy and the vanes do not need to be secured, unless very windy.
I can look forward to many years mothing with this trap. |:D|

Well done Mark. Glad to be of help. I only use my rain cover when there is substantial rain forecast, if I put the trap out at all! I just don't like the idea of the trap taking in water even with my efficient drain holes. With the MV traps I put them under garden tables for protection against the rain, even though they have rain covers built in. This does not seem to affect catch rates. In fact I can often pick off moths sheltering under the tables, especially around dawn (03.50 at present!!!)

All the best

Pete H
 
Peter,

I was wondering if I could also trouble you for the template for the Robinson trap cone? Alternatively, some information as to how to calculate its dimensions would be appreciated. I'm keen to get another couple of traps going but the only viable financial option for me is DIY.

Many thanks

Denis
 
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