Hunting

[robo mantis]

Does anyone know good ways to catch and find like insects because i plan i going outside tomorrow and look for bugs (like last fall i found lumps moving on my trees and found of like a month ago that they were a kind of lacewing larva in camo because they stick stuff to their backs). :lol: well i plan on finding cool bugs were should i look??

 

[Mantis Keeper]

I've seen the lacewig larvae as well, one of them was two inches long and a half inch wide. Quite something to see.

 

[Rick]

Insects can be found anywhere really. Under rotting logs, under bricks on the ground. Best places are weedy areas where the weeds are like waist high. Those kind of places you will find lots of grasshoppers and also mantids.

 

[robo mantis]

ok i'll let you know what i find

 

[Lukony]

I wonder if there is any easy way to attract insect? Probably some kind of UV light right?

 

[julian camilo]

Uv lights are probably useful but i think any bright light will usually attract at least some insects at night, stuff like moths and that.

 

[Jay]

I live near a lake and recently a lot of mosquito-like bugs have been appearing on a shed on the lake property (a public park). I have been collecting a whole bunch of these things off of the shed and feeding them to my mantids. As soon as I put the clear container over them they fly toward the light. I can catch a whole bunch of them this way.

-Jay

 

[yen_saw]

The best light in attracting insects are mercury vapor white light.

http://www.bioquip.com/html/view_catalog.asp?page=52

Flourescent light is a cheaper light source and do well in attracting flying insects. Personally i prefer hunting for bugs on gas station that use bright flourescent light rather than the Halogen type street light.

For day hunt such as butterfly or praying mantis, look for tall grass with variety of flowers. For dragon fly and dampserfly, try to look for area around creek or small stream.

 

[robo mantis]

i forund a few weird looking bug but let them go (i didn't know what most of them were) :lol:

 

[Obie]

Any bright light will work to catch insects. There are many types of traps too. You could check on bioquip.com and get some indeas on how to make a trap. Many insects prefer UV light, and in my experience, if you're serious about attracting insects to lights -- you need a mercury vapor or metal halide bulb. I have a special 250 watt metal halide bulb (Hortilux Blue) and balast that I take on moth collecting expeditions. I run it off a small Honda generator. It attracts a little too much actually :shock: .

 

[robo mantis]

thanks i'll check it out

 

[DeadInTheBasement]

i need a pair of snake proof chaps so i wont be afraid of getting snake bit while looking for mantids in feilds with tall grass. i love snakes but getting bit isnt my thing

 

[robo mantis]

well around my area snake arn't agressive they would hide before you see them. For other places wear thick rubber boots.

 

[DeadInTheBasement]

i find snakes all the time i love seeing them but when im in situation were they can see me and i cant see them i get freaked out :shock:

 

[robo mantis]

hmmm well if they aren't venomous you should be fine maybe were waiting pants and you will not get hurt (try to use rubber ones).