Can you commonly find regal moths at street lights in suburban areas? Does anybody know if this works?

Well, you see, I'm a Lepidoptera freak, and I just LOVE collecting them! However, I do live in an unsuitable habitat. Sort of. We have tons of trees around us, and the flowers, as well as the butterflies are abundant. Same with dragonflies. However, I'm not getting the results I would like to recieve going blacklighting in fields. So, I have figured out that the most possible manner would be to do it in a wooded area. I go camping places and use it. But, I would also like to see what I could get in a suburban area. I've heard that regal moths go to street lights in urban areas, but that is only so if there is a food plant around, correct?





I'm also looking for a luna moth, but you know, every moth hunter wants one of those. However, it has become debatable to me whether or not regal moths are better.





Other names for moth: Hickory horned devil, royal walnut moth.





Thanks a lot to anyone that helps. We do have some ash trees, and that is one of their foodplants.Can you commonly find regal moths at street lights in suburban areas? Does anybody know if this works?
I know that one of the ways that some college classmates and I were able to collect some insects in general was to use a light at night and shine it on a white sheet. We were able to get the moths and other insects a lot easier since they would then land on the sheet. I've only seen two lunas in my life, and both were chance encounters. They were both by our night light in our back yard. I've seen Io's and Cecropia's as well, but once again, they were chance encounters. We had an Osage Orange Sphinx (which is different, I know) on our kitchen window yesterday morning, but those are pretty common around here. I looked in my Butterflies and Moths of Missouri book, and there are records of Royal Walnut Moths visiting sugar bait. And it says that the calling time is from about 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Imperials and Polyphemus would come between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. Lunas are around midnight. Cecropia call from 3:00 a.m. to sunrise, and Promethea are from 3:00 pm. to dusk. Io's are from dusk to midnight. It says that these calling times are when females release pheromones, and it is possible to attract the males with lights. Anyway, I hope that these times help and the ideas help as well. Best of luck on collecting your specimens!!Can you commonly find regal moths at street lights in suburban areas? Does anybody know if this works?
The book says attracting methods include using fermented juices on trees or in traps, and black lighting, where the ultraviolet is used to attract moths to a sheet or trap. Doesn't say anything about rum or beer, although I imagine that they will work! Report Abuse

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