title: The Technical and Performance Characteristics of a Low-Cost, Simply Constructed, Black Light Moth Trap.
abstract: The universal mercury vapor black light trap is an effective device used for collecting moth specimens in a wide variety of habitats; yet, they can present challenges for researchers. The mercury vapor trap is often powered by a heavy automotive battery making it difficult to conduct extensive surveys in remote regions. The mercury vapor trap also carries a considerable financial cost per trap unit, making trapping challenging with low research budgets. Here, we describe the development and trapping properties of a lighter, simply constructed, and less expensive trap. The LED funnel trap consists of a funnel, soda bottles with plastic vanes, and is powered by rechargeable 9-V batteries. Two strips of low-wavelength LEDs are used as attractants. We tested the trapping parameters of this trap design compared to a standard mercury vapor trap over 10 trap nights in a suburban woodlot in the summer of 2015. The mercury vapor trap caught significantly more moth individuals than the LED trap (average of 78 vs 40 moths per trap night; P < 0.05), and significantly more species than the LED trap (23 vs 15 per trap night; P < 0.05); the mercury vapor trap caught a total of 104 macromoth species over the duration of the study, compared to a total of 87 by the LED trap. Despite the lower yields, the low cost of the LED trap (<$30 ea.) makes it superior to the mercury vapor trap in cost-acquisition per moth species and per moth individual trapped. The LED trap may be a viable alternative to the standard mercury vapor trap, facilitating insect trapping in more diverse settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane, Room 448, East Lansing, MI 48824-1115 (pwhite@msu.edu) pwhite@msu.edu.
authors.forename: Peter J T
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Lyman Briggs College, Michigan State University, 919 East Shaw Lane, Room E-35, East Lansing, MI 48825-1107 (gloverka@msu.edu; stewa508@msu.edu; riceama2@msu.edu).
authors.forename: Katharine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glover
authors.affiliation: Lyman Briggs College, Michigan State University, 919 East Shaw Lane, Room E-35, East Lansing, MI 48825-1107 (gloverka@msu.edu; stewa508@msu.edu; riceama2@msu.edu).
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Lyman Briggs College, Michigan State University, 919 East Shaw Lane, Room E-35, East Lansing, MI 48825-1107 (gloverka@msu.edu; stewa508@msu.edu; riceama2@msu.edu).
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rice
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004772:Entomology / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009036:Moths; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
keywords: LED; Lepidoptera; black light; insect trap; moth