UV Light for Moths

As many of my regular readers will know, I have a bit of a fondness for moths.  Odd, I suppose, for someone who loves wool, and let me tell you, if there's a clothes moth anywhere in the house, I have no fondness for it!  I think the diversity of moths is amazing though, and I love photographing all their amazing beauty when I have the opportunity.

I recently read that it's possible to attract more moths by using a UV light.  I tend to leave my screened porch light on overnight sometimes (with the screen doors open) to attract moths for photographing.  I decided that I would purchase a UV light to see if I could bring in some different species.  I bought one that is apparently used by DJs for light shows - I'm totally out of touch with that world, but apparently they like to use UV or "black lights" as they are sometimes called.  It's just a 24 inch tube-style light fixture that has a plug.  I put it on the wall of my porch very easily.

I left it on overnight last night. It really doesn't look like much when it's on, but it does have a purplish glow at night.

This morning, I think just about every moth in my entire neighbourhood was in my porch.  It was absolutely amazing.  There were hundreds, and they were everywhere.  I spent a long time out on the porch taking photographs and being completely excited about all the new moths that had come to visit.  I will definitely be using the light on a regular basis, and hope to see more new species being attracted to it.  I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in moth photography.

Here are some of the more interesting species that showed up.

Northern apple sphinx (Sphinx poecila) - this beauty was about 2.5 inches long.

The small but pretty clover hayworm moth (Hypsopygia costalis).

A gray spruce looper moth (Caripeta divisata).

This is a beautiful bent-line gray (Iridopsis larvaria).

Another large moth that visited - the fingered dagger (Acronicta dactylina).

I love this little guy - Harris's three-spot moth (Harrisimemna trisignata).  It's not a common moth around here and has such a pretty pattern.  I was really excited to see it.

I'm not 100% sure on this one but believe it is the bent-winged owlet (Bleptina caradrinalis).  Please correct me if I'm wrong on that.

This beauty is the olive angle shades moth (Phlogophora iris).

The red-humped caterpillar moth (Schizura concinna) holds up its wings at an unusual angle.

The tiny but elegant silver-spotted fern moth (Callopistria cordata).

The black-dotted glyph (Maliattha synochitis).  That spot on its back is a distinct olive green colour.

The wavy-lined heterocampa moth (Heterocampa biundata).

Finally, the lovely large lace border moth (Scopula limboundata).  I'm so pleased to have tried a UV light for mothing, and I hope to share more visitors soon!