Aussie Finch Forum

I vaguely remember previous posts showing ready-made moth traps available over the net for a reasonable price. I can't find this now. Anyone got them + any feedback on their usefulness good or bad. Also price & a link or web address would be great too, thanks. I've just seen the ones at Bunnings for nearly $100, any others?

I have the Bunnings one, didn't want to have the bother of making my own. Works fine **but** takes days for insects to die and some will fly out as soon as you disconnect it. I'm going to get a black bag made with a draw string to pull over whole unit before turning the power off. Lots of the moths will fly straight out of aviary too, so I put mine in the bird fridge for 20 minutes before opening it in the aviary.

For those who don't know what we're talking about http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_pro ... _8022.aspx, I was waiting to see how mine worked before posting it and just hadn't gotten around to the post. Happy with it so far, apart from the mod needed as described above.

These are the EBAY ones............haven't used mine yet but looks OK if not a tad flimsy..............and will have a draw string bag under it when I use it.............

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MEGA-Mosquit ... 2562b3e1ec" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I also have a home made one that is brilliant with an inverted extractions fan under a fluro light.......works like a charm but the Ebay ones are more wieldy............

Do you have solar lights in your avairy? These will attract a few moths.
LML

good idea about solar lights for the aviary

roma9009 wrote:good idea about solar lights for the aviary

I have 6V (low voltage) lights as my flights all have solid roofs and solar wouldn't last very long each night. Safe, simple to install and runs off a standard powerpoint in the garage. Lasts all night whether it's winter or summer. I leave them on all the time (not home before dusk usually) but you can get a daylight sensor, just haven't got around to that bit yet.

3 LEDS, only 0.5w per light so less than 3w - @ 15c / kwh so about 13c a month to run.

I don't want lights in my aviaries, I don't like the idea of bringing more mozzies into the aviaries which would be an issue where I live & don't like the idea of encouraging nocturnal activity in my birds. I'm happy to just trap some moths outside the aviaries & release them into whichever aviary(s) would make best use of them.

natamambo wrote:I have the Bunnings one, didn't want to have the bother of making my own. Works fine **but** takes days for insects to die and some will fly out as soon as you disconnect it. I'm going to get a black bag made with a draw string to pull over whole unit before turning the power off. Lots of the moths will fly straight out of aviary too, so I put mine in the bird fridge for 20 minutes before opening it in the aviary.

For those who don't know what we're talking about http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_pro ... _8022.aspx, I was waiting to see how mine worked before posting it and just hadn't gotten around to the post. Happy with it so far, apart from the mod needed as described above.

I have the waxworks one - definately needs the bag attached but otherwise works great.

When I worked in a entomology lab we used these. They are super efficient.
I hang the trap under cover though, and use a butterfly net as the collecting zone rather than a bucket. On hot days /or rainy days too many insects die in the bucket setup.
Buy one of those cheap butterfly nets from a kids toy section
Sew elastic around the opening of a net - tight enough to keep it in place.
That way you can quickly whip off the fabric net, tie a knot on the end and stick it in the fridge.
Once the insects have cooled down - maybe 1/2 hour -they are heaps easier to manage and you can sort through and remove the poisonous/ not so tasty ones.

http://www.entosupplies.com.au/equipmen ... .c.-8-watt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fincho162 wrote:These are the EBAY ones............haven't used mine yet but looks OK if not a tad flimsy..............and will have a draw string bag under it when I use it.............

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MEGA-Mosquit ... 2562b3e1ec" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I also have a home made one that is brilliant with an inverted extractions fan under a fluro light.......works like a charm but the Ebay ones are more wieldy............

I've got two of these eBay ones and I agree construction is a bit flimsy. They work well, but the catch volume depends on weather conditions. Under the fan the trap section has a series of plastic flaps that open when the fan spins and close to contain the insects when you turn it off. You remove the bottom trap part and then just let them go into the aviary. One of mine kept blowing tubes so I removed all the fluoro and electronics bits and replaced with a standard bayonet fitting and globe - seems to work just as well as the original black light tubes. I doubt they catch anything like the same volume of insects as a larger bathroom fan DIY version.