This was the first night this year that I have been able to use the moth light. I use a mercury vapor light to create a trap that lures moths. This allows me to look at species I’d never be able to witness otherwise. I keep record of the moths that visit. A mercury vapor light is a gas-discharge lamp (lamps that generate light by sending an electric charge through an ionized gas) which uses mercury. These bulbs are very efficient and have long life spans, used often as streetlamps and construction lights. They are quickly becoming outdated- first replaced by regular metal halide lamps (this is the classic light bulb we are used to) and then LEDs. They often require electrical ballasts, a device that controls the amount of current in a circuit. This makes buying and using them as an average consumer not a common occurrence. The reason you use a mercury vapor light to catch moths is because these lights make UV light. UV light attracts moths.
© 2024 Lauren Cook
Substack is the home for great culture