moth net (1 Viewer)

[Surreybirder]

I'm considering buying a net to try and catch those moths that fly away from the trap before I can ID them - usually the most interesting looking ones!
Has anyone got any suggestions on what is the best type to use. I'd also like to be able to sweep the vegetation around our pond.
Thanks,
Ken

 

[Ronayne88]

Good call, ha ha. It's a horrible feeling when they fly off. It really does always seems to be the most interesting ones that get away. I'd be interested to see what people suggest here also but don't know myself sorry.

 

[davidg]

Ken,

I use a short handled 'pocket' net bought from ALS - not sure how much it cost. It's invaluable for both netting attempted escapees and for patrolling the garden although it's not suitable for sweeping. You might want to warn your wife/partner/significant other not to worry when she sees you leaping around wildly in the garden for no apparent reason - there must be a technique for netting moths in flight but I've yet to discover it and most manage to outrun me!

David

 

[Mike Cook]

Hi Ken,

We have not spoken for a while. Been up to Tyneside recently?

I use a "Pocket Spring Steel Net with a black bag from Watkins and Doncaster. It's 12" diameter in use but folds down to 4" diameter, so easily fits in a rucksack. This is probably the same as David's.

Better but more expensive is their Kite Net. This takes a much deeper bag so there is less chance of the moth escaping when you flip the net over.

I don't think I'd tend to use either as a sweep net though, too much chance of damaging the mesh.

Best wishes

Mike

 

[Surreybirder]

Thanks, David and Mike,
I must ask my CR what he uses as he's always out 'sweeping'. But I notice that his technique is to sweep above the foliage - he usually uses a stick to dislodge stuff from foliage. He catches loads of hoverflies as well as leps. That was how we caught the one and only clearwing I've ever seen.
Mike, haven't been to N'castle for a while, I'm afraid. I've had various health issues but hope to be more mobile in the not-too-distant future. I miss St Mary's Island and Big Waters - not to mention Nirvanah (a.k.a. Havannah).
Ken

 

[Marcus Lawson]

Hi Ken,
Here's a few sites selling sweep nets, I haven't used any of them so can't make any recommendations but just thought it might help.

http://www.efe-uk.com/sweep_nets.htm

http://www.uksafari.com/shop/goods/sweepnet.htm

http://www.entomology.org.uk/prices.htm

I have one of the folding nets which Mike mentioned and find it very good. Their website is here: http://www.watdon.co.uk/the-naturalists/index.html
and the direct link to their nets is http://www.watdon.co.uk/the-naturalists/acatalog/Aerial_Nets.html
I just wish they were open Saturday mornings as it's only about 10 miles away.

I remember reading on a thread somewhere that one chap sits inside his mosquito net whilst empyting the trap, I'll have to get mine out of the loft!

All the best
Marcus

 

[llendorin]

Butterfly nets and sweep nets tend to be mutually exclusive, sadly. Sweep nets are designed to take a beating as you pass it through the foliage, but butterfly nets are designed to catch prey on the wing, without harming them.

I personally use the net I got with my beewatchers kit (I went through a Bumblebee phase before starting my moth obsession). This is another Watkins and Doncaster one.
I've also got a couple of the basic butterfly nets that Anglian Lepidopterist Supplies offer, and they work just as well - the only downside to them is that they don't fold up like my other one.

The other thing to consider when getting a net is the colour of the mesh... some people will recommend a white net, some will recommend a black. It really does come down to personal preference, though. For me, I find that a white net makes it easier to find the catch during the day, and a black one at night, but as I said, everyone seems to differ on this one.

 

[Jamie Dunning]

Hi Ken

I also looked at a net not long ago, I decided that I couldnt afford one at the time but being impacient i popped down to wilcos and bourght a broom handle (90p) and to metal rose growing things (any gardeners will know what im talking about, there like curcular metal or in this case re-enforced plastic things. but they were under a pound) then i duck taped them together, and bourght a meter of bridal veil material from a martket stall (£3) and botched the lot together and the only work I (or my girlfreind in this case) had to do was 10 minutes of sewing with her machine (Y)

Butterfly/moth net. sorted

Jamie

 

[honeym]

Hi

It was probably me. I sit inside a moquito net when emptying the trap when I´m out here in Mallorca. Even early in the morning it starts to get warm quite quickly so any flighty species would be lost while id´ing the trap contents. The only problem is that the trap also contains mozzies - and they´re inside the net with me!!

I own and have used the pocket spring net but two words of warning:
1.the net opening is quite small so you have to be very accurate when trying to catch something in flight
2. make sure it is securely tied when you put it away in your pocket! I had one "go off" in a pocket once and it was a real s#d to get out

I prefer the four-fold net with a white bag but make sure that you get one that has a mesh with very fine holes. All too often I´ve lost a micro which has managed to squeeze through the mesh while being potted.

As an aside, I remove the net handle and secure the bag around the join to make a sort of flat frisbie which I then place on top of the trap opening to stop anything flying out. It seems to work fairly well and it´s an easy matter to just look on the underside and pot anything that looks as if it´s about to escape. Of course, this only works with a Robinson-style trap.

Martin

 

[harry eales]

Having moth trapped for fifty years with both Heath 'Actinic' and Robinson 'MV traps' I have found the most effective net to be the standard 'Kite' net. I'm on my third one at the moment, they do last a long time if your careful in using them.

I probably 'box' most of the specimens that are in the vicinity or on wall adjacent to the trap. Usually I plug the traps entrance 'funnel' with soft dusters before bringing the trap indoors and opening it. Any escaping insects usually fly towards the nearest window, so most of the time a net isn't really necessary.

Harry

 

[Surreybirder]

Thanks for all the advice!! Like Harry, I often open my trap in the garden shed. Unfortunately my moths seem to prefer to hide among all the mowers and other clutter rather than head towards the window!
In the end I have ordered the frame that folds into 4 from http://www.entomology.org.uk/frames.htm .It is 14" diameter. With a 2ft handle and a white net. I'll see how I get on. It came to about £25 with p & p. (Quite a tricky site to navigate - at least using Firefox!) I wished I'd had it last night as there was a hawkmoth nectaring in our garden at dusk. Whether I'd have got anywhere near it of course...!
Ken