# Light trap in Texas



## yen_saw (Apr 22, 2009)

The weather is warming up fast, and it was raining last weekend so Dustin and I decided to set up the light trap at his backyard last Sunday. First was to find a good collection spot. A clearing with river at the back provides a good light trap area so we started to move the set up there.

















Doesn't take very long to set it up. ALways good to do that before sun set.






Almost there.... found out the mercury light holder failed to hold the bulb bummer.... White blacklight working well though thank god






Sun is setting fast so decided to hang the mercury vapor bulb instead (less effective). Dustin chiling out after having some tough time getting his dog back  






While waiting for the sun to set we found this assassin.






Our first visitors to the light trap were load of scarab beetles






and some diving beetles






Moths starting to show up next... but we were waiting for some nice size moths






To be continue...........


----------



## lectricblueyes (Apr 22, 2009)

Wow, I've never seen this. You know, until I started this mantis thing... I never knew there was such a DEEP hobby for insect collecting. I mean sure.. typical turantula and scorpion collectors but... beetles, mantids, ROACHES lol... the list is endless. Very cool little world I've found here


----------



## Katnapper (Apr 22, 2009)

That big brown bug with the white head looks really cute (the one that seemed to be attracted to the light trap before you even got it all set up!) .  ^_^


----------



## whamslam3 (Apr 22, 2009)

haha thats a nice idea.


----------



## Rick (Apr 22, 2009)

I remember you doing this before Yen. Looking forward to more.


----------



## hibiscusmile (Apr 22, 2009)

Yen, its gonna be fun. but I dont see me chair?


----------



## Frack (Apr 22, 2009)

lol I like how theres a pic of my dog walking towards the pond then one of me exhausted after carrying her out. I cant wait to see the rest of the pics, we saw quite a few cool bugs that night.


----------



## yen_saw (Apr 22, 2009)

LectricBlueyes said:


> Wow, I've never seen this. You know, until I started this mantis thing... I never knew there was such a DEEP hobby for insect collecting. I mean sure.. typical turantula and scorpion collectors but... beetles, mantids, ROACHES lol... the list is endless. Very cool little world I've found here


Is a cool little world for a small community of people that's right  but usually i am treated as a freak, weirdo, or even pshyco when curios people see a mid-age guy setting up light trap in the wild  . But in this case it was Dustin's backyard so i was safe from all the look, but only Dustin's dog and horse  



Katnapper said:


> That big brown bug with the white head looks really cute (the one that seemed to be attracted to the light trap before you even got it all set up!) .


hmmm which one? some bugs do get attracted pretty quite even before sun set.



whamslam3 said:


> haha thats a nice idea.


Thanks. I love new ideas on making bug traps.



Rick said:


> I remember you doing this before Yen. Looking forward to more.


there will be more  i am uploading more pics as i type right now.



hibiscusmile said:


> Yen, its gonna be fun. but I dont see me chair?


No problem i have extra chairs  Come down to Texas i am sure it is much warmer than Ohio right now  



Frack said:


> lol I like how theres a pic of my dog walking towards the pond then one of me exhausted after carrying her out. I cant wait to see the rest of the pics, we saw quite a few cool bugs that night.


ha ha! Gypsie right? (spelling?) Thanks for letting me use your backyard Dustin. I am sure we will see more bugs next month when the weather really warm up.

Now here are more pics for the bugs........

Dustin released some chinese mantis nymphs on the white sheet. Some gets to "work" immediately. This one is getting ready to jump on a small bug attracted by light.






At the beginning, especially before sun set, we saw mostly mosquitoes and flies. this is a type of fly i think











Then more moth started to show up











A large moth finally, right underneath the blacklight, has a broken left wing.











More bugs on the white sheet






Some nice moths starting to show up as the night progress


----------



## PhilinYuma (Apr 22, 2009)

Katnapper said:


> That big brown bug with the white head looks really cute (the one that seemed to be attracted to the light trap before you even got it all set up!) .  ^_^


Yeah; that's Quasimantis doggus. They're attracted to food, kids, other Q., doggus, balls, more food, Q. cattus and ponds.


----------



## yen_saw (Apr 22, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> Yeah; that's Quasimantis doggus. They're attracted to food, kids, other Q., doggus, balls, more food, Q. cattus and ponds.


  

By now it is completely dark and the set up is starting to work






More moths... must be the season for these











When all of the sudden there was a huge moth heading straight to the sheet. it bumped on a few things (including Dustin and I) before landing on the ground.











We tried to help...






But don't think it is going to work.. poor thing






Some kind of parasitic wasps?


----------



## yen_saw (Apr 22, 2009)

Some of the mantis we released made good photographing subject

Can you find where the mantis is?






This mantis is too greedy!






this one is trying to get a ride from the big moth  






A common food for mantis.... the large black cricket also made it






Even a spider trying to snatch a few easy meals






More moths of all kind


----------



## yen_saw (Apr 22, 2009)

Guess the highlight of the day is the mantidfly! Guess they are attracted to light too. It didn't land on the sheet but the brick used to provide weight on the set up. Ha!











A weird looking long neck weevil






and a huge diving beetle?






More beetles






I saw tiny devil horn on this beetle ha!






A lady bug and grasshopper nymph join the club too











Colorful one






hmmm... no idea


----------



## Katnapper (Apr 22, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> Yeah; that's Quasimantis doggus. They're attracted to food, kids, other Q., doggus, balls, more food, Q. cattus and ponds.


 :lol: Love it!!!  Very cute Q. doggus!  

Neat idea Yen and Dustin.  And it looks like you both had an enjoyable evening attracting bugs!  That big moth looks similar to a Sphinx moth I raised from a caterpillar I found in the Fall of 2007. I overwintered him in a critter keeper in the garage, and he became a White Lined Sphinx moth late last Spring. They must not be too smart about running into things.  After I took some pics of him in the Critter Keeper, I released him. He flew up and over the roof of the house, then came back over, turned and immediately crashed straight into the side of the house.  :huh:


----------



## yen_saw (Apr 22, 2009)

Few type of large moths started to show up as it gets to about 9:30 PM

This one hang on to the weight






Another large moth






This one looks very aerodynamic as Dustin said  It reminds me of the air craft F-22  






Few types of diving beetles






More moths... by now we must have counted dozen different type





















This one decided to hand on my shirt






Another wasp?






By then it was getting cold, the temperature drop fast to below 60s at around 10PM and since i need to work early the next day we decided to stop here. I brought back only two bugs for my macro photographing. The long neck weevil and mantidfly. i am sure there will be a lot more bugs around July-August.


----------



## Rick (Apr 22, 2009)

Very cool! I find it interesting I see most of those insects here as well.


----------



## yeatzee (Apr 22, 2009)

Please do post your mantidfly pictures......one of the coolest insects around IMO. To bad non live out here &lt;_&lt;


----------



## yen_saw (Apr 22, 2009)

Rick said:


> Very cool! I find it interesting I see most of those insects here as well.


Thanks Rick.



yeatzee said:


> Please do post your mantidfly pictures......one of the coolest insects around IMO. To bad non live out here &lt;_&lt;


Yep i took some shot of the long neck weevil bug and mantidfly.

here are the weevil
















The mantidfly escaped couple of times and one time it flew straight to the halogen light. I only took a few pics and let the mantidfly free afterwards.

For some reason, there is a small white thread stick to the mantidfly antenna grrrr... kind of spoil the pic
















Also caught couple of carpenter queen ants (Componatus discolor?) from the first night hunt there






Put them in a vinyl tube with a drop of brown sugar. They love it!






One decided to lay eggs too close to the brown sugar drop i think the eggs drown bummer!! i am sure she will lay more.


----------



## hibiscusmile (Apr 22, 2009)

Rick, I agree, we have a lot of them in ohio too. Yen, hope u guys had great fun, I think u took the best two back with you!


----------



## Gurd (Apr 22, 2009)

Some nice finds there mate  

The mantidfly is very cool

Gives me ideas of trying this down the village nature reserve


----------



## Katnapper (Apr 22, 2009)

Gurd said:


> Some nice finds there mate  The mantidfly is very cool
> 
> Gives me ideas of trying this down the village nature reserve


Yes, me too (around here), Gurd.  I can see it now.... MantidForum members around the world with sheets and lights in hand! :lol:


----------



## whamslam3 (Apr 22, 2009)

wow thats alot of bugs! there were some cool ones on there. ok i have to know... ###### is a mantidfly?


----------



## Katnapper (Apr 22, 2009)

whamslam3 said:


> wow thats alot of bugs! there were some cool ones on there. ok i have to know... ###### is a mantidfly?


http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mantidfly


----------



## PhilinYuma (Apr 22, 2009)

Katnapper said:


> http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mantidfly


ROFLMAO!!! Best laugh I've had all week, Katt! :lol: 

Remember, Whamslam, Google is your friend!!


----------



## yen_saw (Apr 22, 2009)

hibiscusmile said:


> Rick, I agree, we have a lot of them in ohio too. Yen, hope u guys had great fun, I think u took the best two back with you!


I agree they look cool on close up. Moth probbaly looks scary in close up though  



Gurd said:


> Some nice finds there mate  The mantidfly is very cool
> 
> Gives me ideas of trying this down the village nature reserve


Thanks Craig. Few members here interested in how to assemble one i will post up a thread later.



Katnapper said:


> Yes, me too (around here), Gurd.  I can see it now.... MantidForum members around the world with sheets and lights in hand! :lol:


  yeah. It could be as easy as switching your car head light on a piece of white cloth. But mercury vapor and white blacklight work the best.



Katnapper said:


> http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mantidfly


  

I have no idea you could do that!! :lol: 

Ok, well here is the mantis everyone (Rick i was hoping you could find it  )







and the carpenter queen ants lay more eggs!


----------



## hibiscusmile (Apr 22, 2009)

how did u end up getting a queen Yen?


----------



## yen_saw (Apr 22, 2009)

hibiscusmile said:


> how did u end up getting a queen Yen?


Sorry i should have mentioned the queen ant was not attracted to light. We found the queen ant on a tree near the collecting site. This species of ant appear to be active at and after dusk.


----------



## eaglewarrior (Apr 23, 2009)

yen_saw said:


> hmmm... no idea


It's a caddishfly(Trichoptera).

I heard from Fisherman_Brazil that you will come to Taiwan soon. Maybe we can take another light trap together if you have enough time here  .


----------



## yen_saw (Apr 24, 2009)

eaglewarrior said:


> It's a caddishfly(Trichoptera).I heard from Fisherman_Brazil that you will come to Taiwan soon. Maybe we can take another light trap together if you have enough time here  .


Thanks eaglewarrior  

Yes that is the plan. But until now i only bought the ticket to Malaysia and Hong Kong, trying to squeeze in a trip from HK to Taiwan too. can't promise you with the light trap in Taiwan but definitely looking forward to visit you all.


----------



## Dinora (Apr 24, 2009)

Katnapper said:


> http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mantidfly


ROFL!!!

I was drinking soda as I was catching up on the forums and soda went up my nose I laughed so hard!!!

I love you, Kat!!!

LOL

-Dinora


----------



## Katnapper (Apr 24, 2009)

Dinora said:


> ROFL!!!I was drinking soda as I was catching up on the forums and soda went up my nose I laughed so hard!!!
> 
> I love you, Kat!!!
> 
> ...


Ooops...  sorry, Dinora!  I'll try to watch what I post.... We just got you back, and I don't want to send you back to the hospital for choking/drowning on soda!!!   :lol: And awwww........ :wub: We all love you too!!!


----------



## PhilinYuma (Apr 24, 2009)

eaglewarrior said:


> It's a caddishfly(Trichoptera).I heard from Fisherman_Brazil that you will come to Taiwan soon. Maybe we can take another light trap together if you have enough time here  .


Yep, it came right out of that pond!

Is yr kid still interested in insects, Yen? If so, he can make a "designer" cadisworm case for his mom! The larvae (you are probably familiar with them), live on the borders of ponds and in shallow streams and build their own protective case. They crawl around fairly slowly, looking like a very thin, short twig. If you don't see any, try scooping out some mud and passing it through a sieve. They have hooks on the end of their tails to stop them from being pulled out of their case, but it's pretty easy to push them out backwards with a blunted stick. If he keeps them in a small aquarium or bowl of pondwater, with a substrate of fine colored gravel or seed beads, they will make new cases out of that material! Have fun!


----------



## Griever (Apr 24, 2009)

WOW, thats very neat! I've always heard of using a light trap to attract insects at night but never actually seen it in action! Should try that up here in washington and see what I net. Looking forward to more light trap diaries :lol:


----------



## Xenomantis (Apr 25, 2009)

This is AWESOME!!!

Now I want to try it! XD


----------



## Kaddock (Apr 25, 2009)

One of the most inspirational ideas I've seen in years! I've gotta try it!!!


----------



## Peter Clausen (Apr 26, 2009)

Awesome finds, Yen and a great tutorial on making the light set up! I hope to spend a few weeks blacklighting in the West, this summer. I'm doing a short trip to Southern Oregon in two weeks. I was a bit late for the good stuff last year in AZ (the rains came early), but we had a few items come to the sheets.

Are you taking your set up to Arizona this summer?


----------



## yen_saw (Apr 26, 2009)

Dinora said:


> ROFL!!!I was drinking soda as I was catching up on the forums and soda went up my nose I laughed so hard!!!
> 
> I love you, Kat!!!
> 
> ...


Hey Dinora, glad to see you back here!  



PhilinYuma said:


> Yep, it came right out of that pond! Is yr kid still interested in insects, Yen? If so, he can make a "designer" cadisworm case for his mom! The larvae (you are probably familiar with them), live on the borders of ponds and in shallow streams and build their own protective case. They crawl around fairly slowly, looking like a very thin, short twig. If you don't see any, try scooping out some mud and passing it through a sieve. They have hooks on the end of their tails to stop them from being pulled out of their case, but it's pretty easy to push them out backwards with a blunted stick. If he keeps them in a small aquarium or bowl of pondwater, with a substrate of fine colored gravel or seed beads, they will make new cases out of that material! Have fun!


Yup he is the reason i started with mantis  i am more familiar with the dragonfly larvae though! Thanks for sharing the info  



Peter said:


> Awesome finds, Yen and a great tutorial on making the light set up! I hope to spend a few weeks blacklighting in the West, this summer. I'm doing a short trip to Southern Oregon in two weeks. I was a bit late for the good stuff last year in AZ (the rains came early), but we had a few items come to the sheets.


NIce video Peter! Lot of bugs there! Wish i could join you there last year.

The structure itself can be taken apart and fit into a bag, but the white blacklight and generator is impossible to bring to AZ by flight unless i drive there so i will not bring the set up to AZ.


----------



## Morpheus uk (Apr 27, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> ROFLMAO!!! Best laugh I've had all week, Katt! :lol: Remember, Whamslam, Google is your friend!!


Have to disagree if googles everyones friend then what is the point in forums


----------



## Katnapper (Apr 27, 2009)

Morpheus uk said:


> Have to disagree if googles everyones friend then what is the point in forums


Google will lead you to forums... where lots of the best info is! You just have to search for it, and Google is a fine tool for finding those forums. How else might you find info "hidden" in forums, or even find the forums themselves, other than a search engine if you're not already familiar with them?


----------



## Morpheus uk (Apr 27, 2009)

Lol, google leads you to the forums, and the forums lead you to google  

Never ending circle lol

But there really is nothing wrong with people posting their questions, unless there stupid ones like "do mantids shed their skins".

But if people should use google for all their questions then a forum might aswell be locked up for good once all the questions have been answered


----------

