Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

What blacklights do people use to catch ants?

blacklights catching ants at night

  • Please log in to reply
27 replies to this topic

#21 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted December 8 2020 - 8:03 AM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,059 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

 

I use an LED blacklight set up on a small table in my backyard. I live in a city, so it only got me two preno queens, but at least it seemed to attract them (So if you used it in a forest or something it would probably attract more). It probably isn’t the most powerful/best one you can get, but it seems to be fine. I’ll see if I can find the link, its on Amazon.


It’s also about timing, so I hope you find more nights that you are able to try it in your yard.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

i was planning on doing it every week. does that sound good?


  • BADANT likes this

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)


#22 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted December 8 2020 - 8:05 AM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,059 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

I had tremendous success with this bulb screwed in a lamp I shined on a sheet. https://www.amazon.c...g?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i will probably use that. does it use a regular socket?


Here are some links to MV bulbs for sale that I'd recommend:

160W coated self ballasted

https://www.ebay.ca/...3sAAOSwqaJaYnln

250 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)

https://www.ebay.com...0.c100891.m5206

400 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)

https://www.ebay.com...S-/282148014398

750 watt self ballasted half clear (i have this one and will be adding it to my setup next spring)

https://www.ebay.ca/...egAAOSwJxpfII0L

Also almost all mercury vapor bulbs are mogul base, meaning they won't fit into a normal socket. These adapters have worked for me: https://www.amazon.c...base ad&sr=8-14

which wattage do you suggest? 


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)


#23 Offline Manitobant - Posted December 8 2020 - 8:23 AM

Manitobant

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,898 posts
  • LocationWinnipeg, Canada

I had tremendous success with this bulb screwed in a lamp I shined on a sheet. https://www.amazon.c...g?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i will probably use that. does it use a regular socket?

Here are some links to MV bulbs for sale that I'd recommend:
160W coated self ballastedhttps://www.ebay.ca/...3sAAOSwqaJaYnln
250 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)https://www.ebay.com...0.c100891.m5206
400 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)https://www.ebay.com...S-/282148014398
750 watt self ballasted half clear (i have this one and will be adding it to my setup next spring)https://www.ebay.ca/...egAAOSwJxpfII0L
Also almost all mercury vapor bulbs are mogul base, meaning they won't fit into a normal socket. These adapters have worked for me: https://www.amazon.c...base ad&sr=8-14

which wattage do you suggest?
it really depends on what kind of area you plan to trap in. If you're in a large clearing or field higher wattage is better, while in the middle of a forest lower wattage is better because some of the bugs will land on the surrounding trees and not the sheet. The best all around bulb would probably be a 250 or 400 watt though any bulb works.
  • Ants_Dakota likes this

#24 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted December 8 2020 - 8:25 AM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,059 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

 

 

I had tremendous success with this bulb screwed in a lamp I shined on a sheet. https://www.amazon.c...g?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i will probably use that. does it use a regular socket?

Here are some links to MV bulbs for sale that I'd recommend:
160W coated self ballastedhttps://www.ebay.ca/...3sAAOSwqaJaYnln
250 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)https://www.ebay.com...0.c100891.m5206
400 watt self ballasted clear (this bulb is marked as metal halide but is actually MV)https://www.ebay.com...S-/282148014398
750 watt self ballasted half clear (i have this one and will be adding it to my setup next spring)https://www.ebay.ca/...egAAOSwJxpfII0L
Also almost all mercury vapor bulbs are mogul base, meaning they won't fit into a normal socket. These adapters have worked for me: https://www.amazon.c...base ad&sr=8-14

which wattage do you suggest?
it really depends on what kind of area you plan to trap in. If you're in a large clearing or field higher wattage is better, while in the middle of a forest lower wattage is better because some of the bugs will land on the surrounding trees and not the sheet. The best all around bulb would probably be a 250 or 400 watt though any bulb works.

 

thanks! i will probably get a larger bulb once i have the funds. for now, i will stick with the cheaper blacklights. thanks!


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)


#25 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted December 8 2020 - 11:30 AM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,059 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

Usually I get around 60-70% mated queens at my light, depending on species. I got the LED strips on amazon, couldn't tell you the exact ones. Flights are primarily in the evening and early morning. This summer I'd be basically nocturnal assuming I wasn't working, wake up in the evening, blacklight, stay up, blacklight again in the morning, go to bed at noon  :lol: 

You can get away with getting a few ZZZs between blacklight sessions, though. I did an anting trip this summer with friends before I moved to AZ where we camped for about 3 days in rural southern IL. We'd blacklight from ~8:30pm to ~10:30pm, spend an hour tubing everything, sleep by midnight, then wake up at 4:30 and blacklight again until ~5:45, then go anting all day. It was extremely exhausting but totally worth it.

do you recommend in the morning or the night more? that is a great mating percentage rate as well!


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)


#26 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted September 21 2022 - 5:27 AM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,059 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

Thread Revival! In my search for my blacklighting equipment, i ran across the problem of how to power the blacklights if i was to be away from my house and 3 or so extensions cords, or away from a car(with a car power inverter) Is there some kind of portable battery people use? Or am i just going to have to lug a spare car battery around(or even worse, take it out of my car and haul it into the woods...)


Edited by Ants_Dakota, September 21 2022 - 5:33 AM.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)


#27 Offline ANTdrew - Posted September 21 2022 - 2:08 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,376 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Look into the portable batteries Jackery makes. I got one off of Amazon, and it’s awesome.
  • Ants_Dakota likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#28 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted September 22 2022 - 5:14 AM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,059 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

Look into the portable batteries Jackery makes. I got one off of Amazon, and it’s awesome.

Wow, those things do look awesome and high quality. I guess i better get saving up over the winter to afford one though. What one specifically do you have?


Edited by Ants_Dakota, September 22 2022 - 5:25 AM.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)






Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: blacklights, catching ants at night

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users