Guest Ditch_Shitter Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 It's no good! I'm So enjoying myself, getting shots of the buggers that enter my room, or batter themselves against the window in an effort to, that I've decided to make a proper trap. I've brought all the materials home with me tonight and shall do my uttmost to get it built and running by the end of this week end - weather permitting. Expect a blow by blow account and pictures, later! Then maybe I can regail ye with some choicer specimens, under the (pinned) Insects thread. Though, of course, my moths don't get pinned. Just shot and released unharmed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MOLLY Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Brilliant. MOLL. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 23,785 Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Trapping moths? Just hope you dont get a visit from Dolittles Giant Moon Moth Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ditch_Shitter Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 No food. Damn little sleep. But she's Out There! (And, hopefully, catching me a few moths!) Here's, swiftly as I can type and f*** about with pictures, how I've done it: Ok. I've based this Proto Type on the Robinson type trap. Said to be the one all others are rated against. The other main one is a Skinner. Skinner's lose ye moths, even after ye've caught them. This one shouldn't. Skinner works on the same basis, but the 'trap' is two sloping sides of perspex / glass with a gap at the bottom. I guess they fly back up out of that gap? What ever. I went for shit or bust! Made myself a wooden box. I think mine's 18" square. Not vital - none of this is, really - and I worked to the sizes of timber I had handy and the sheet of perspex I bought. Thin perspex. Cheaper that way and it saves trying to cut holes in glass. Here's the details, with piccys: First: Make Your Box That done, I'd bought a plastic Funnel. I went for this quite large (9 x 4" ? ish) beauty. I liked the size of the hole it would allow me, once cut down. I also liked the idea of cutting a rectangle out of my perspex. No way could I have cut a circle. And it has to fit snug, or moths may get out, obviously! *Shitty Tip: Use a hack saw or very fine bladed Mitre saw. Cut right up against the edge of the supporting surface. Metal type drill makes the line of holes to insert the blade into. Don't let the drill crash down on the perspex as the bit goes through! 'Funnel' Fitted Through Perspex Lid I got a nice, flush fit, but not jammed. This is to be my access hatch too. I'll just lift the entire Funnel / Light set up out and reach into the hole. Here it is, fitted. So ye get the idea of the traps first principal: Funnel In Place ~ Top View That done, I drilled a batton to thread a flex through. Attatched the flex to a bog standard Light Fitting and popped in one of the Eco Lamps I use around the cottage, and did before at my bungalow. I'm working on the principal that these lights drew enough action into my living rooms and so should do even better, outside and naked in the night. I believe this shot will also show you the perspex Fins I've slipped in beside the lamp too? These should fan out from the central lamp - but I haven't got the materials to hand, right now, to do that. So do be aware that these are a make shift botch, for the moment. Idea is that, as the moth circles the light, as they do, it'll bash into a fin and fall down ..... straight into my Funnel and so into the Trap Box below! Lamp Set Up For the record; 'Professional' traps use things like Mercury Vapour lamps and all sorts. They also cost the sort of mega 100's of pounds that we'd recognise as 'Institution' prices. Fine if it's all paid for by some bloody Institution from a govt. grant budget for the academic year. F***ed if our sort have that sort of money! This - I hope - will do me. Perhaps it'll do you too? Whilst these lamps don't get to the sort of 'one spot of rain and it's lights out!' tempratures of hallogen types, common sense says that an upwardly facing electric cup fitting shouldn't really get water logged. Thus I managed to wangle in a cack handed little top cover from a scrap of perspex I had left. Here's how I managed that, look: Elementary Element Shade ~ Could Do Better! All set and ready to trap hundreds of moths? Well, we can't just leave them all fluttering and battering around in there. The 'Industry Standard' is Egg Trays. Here's about how ye place them. More may be merrier but I'm not a Battery House propriator! I only had so many to hand. Moths Sleeping Quarters Finally, just to wet ye appetites and show ye what I - and, hopefully, a lot of moths! - are seeing tonight, right outside my kitchen window ..... Here she is, in action! My Moth Trap! Robinson? I know; Heath Robinson! But if I look in there tomorrow and find an Oleander Hawk or a Scarce Merveille du Jour ....! Happy Bunny! Anyone else fancy having a crack at it? Had a crack? Comments? Suggestions? Piss takes? How about some scorn from Woodga? I don't care. It turns my screw and I'm having a go! Let's wait and see if - despite the weather being lousey for it tonight - I bag anything * Note to the Moddies: It's ok. They're all hosted on PB. Bandwidth's safe with me Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IanB 0 Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 You will be putting these in your kills next ditch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ditch_Shitter Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 What, and wearing their skins at the Most Exclusive parties, on board private yaughts? Naah. That was 'Bufallo Bill', mate. I prefered Lector! (As portrayed by my man there; Brian Cox, of course!). Funny, everyone and his uncle's crazy about the Deaths Head Hawk. Me? I'd much prefer to catch an Oleander Hawk. Mind wrackingly stunning creature! I'll work my way up to that one. Today though I Did get one which I just took to be a little moth. Till I photographed it on 'Magnifying Glass' facility ~ as I do all my moths. Give's me a zoomed in view that the naked eye could simply never manage, and all in pin point clarity. Tell ye what; When I off loaded this baby and cracked it open on here? I nearly collapsed! Most exquisette thing I've ever looked at! Cammofluage? Real Tree eat ye heart out! This beauty just did my f***ing head in!!! Caught another one that was pretty damn tasty too! Tonights a better night, weather wise. And I'm adjusting the Fins on my trap and, once I get some more mastic, I shall Really tweak the design for the better. Then I'll be in amongst them. We still have a good couple of months left to go yet. I'm building up quite the catalogue here! Some mind numbingly stunning moths in my photo album. 99% pretty well positively identified too, now that I have my excellent book It all helps to satisfie that primal urge to Catch Things, Ian! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IanB 0 Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 Will be an interesting topic ditch, don't go looking in mirrors with your tail between your legs... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 23,785 Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 "Ditch rubs the lotion on his skin,then puts it in the basket......................................" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foxdropper 17,092 Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 Ditch-As someone who USED to pin insects I feel I should tell you how I attracted moths,which would work for the perfect photo opportunitie . Take one WHITE bed sheet and hang it over a washing line in half .Attach cord to the 4 corners and peg out to form a "tent".Stand a chair underneath it with a lead light on it ,the type used in car repair .Mix up some sugar/honey water and sprinkle it on the sheet .Do not pour on as it looks like piss stains The light works as your moon and the sweet water acts to keep them there .The white background is the perfect backdrop for pics . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ditch_Shitter Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 Drops; All my sheets are dirty gray mate. And as for piss stains ...... Well ... Seriously though, mate; What you're talking about they've now developed to an art form. They use " Wine Strings " ~ Yes: String, soaked in wine. They also paint treacle / sugar mess on fence posts. That attracts the buggers and ye go after them as they feed. I'll be trying all that out too, presently. Just taking one thing at a time for now. Still getting some amazing pictures of some mind numbing moths! She's out there, as I write. Soon I'll take my whack off great gennie and cart the whole shebang out onto the bog for a night or two. See what differant sorts that habitat has to offer. I'm So glad excellent digital cameras have taken away the need to stick pins in these gorgeous creatures. Seems so arse to find ye've caught one of the last existing examples of a mega rarity - and f***ing kill it and stick a pin in it! Hey; Did you know Twitchers (The hard core, extreme Rare Bird Chasers) finding the summer months a bit dull, have now taken up Moths?! As ye'd know, a moth can be kept in a fridge for days. Now those mad b*stards, my old mates, will go haring the length of the country at break neck speeds, just to knock on some f***a's door and blurt out: " I saw, on the Pager; You've got a blinder in ye fridge ....? " Hunters All, mate! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DUCKWING 302 Posted September 25, 2006 Report Share Posted September 25, 2006 WELL DS , IAM AFRAID THE COLLECTOR IN ME STILL ....YEARNS THE PIN WOULD BE MY OPTION ALL THE BEST DUCKWING Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DUCKWING 302 Posted September 26, 2006 Report Share Posted September 26, 2006 WELL DS THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE THIS SHOT DUCKWING Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ditch_Shitter Posted September 26, 2006 Report Share Posted September 26, 2006 I like it, Duck. But I'd rather catch my own Oleander Hawk. Now That turns my screw! Mheanwhile, never mind the well known and much vaunted 'Hawks'. What about a lesser known but every dayish sort of moth. One that just blew my brains out ~ and then I let it go - of course! 'Real Tree'? Eat ye f***ing heart out! Red Green Carpet ~ Chloroclysta siterata I'm catching some crackers here, mate. Night in, night out! Loving it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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