I have a mercury vapor moth trap that I have been using over the summer and Im heading out soon for another night of trapping. The area that I’m going to is a mix of Carolinian forest and farm fields. My main target that is around this time of year is eumorpha pandorus, so I’m wondering if it’s better to set up in the field area or in the forest area? Based on inat observations most people seem to set up on their property or the side of the road near the fields instead of the forest.
My first instinct would be to set up the trap at the edge of the forest so you could attract both field and forest species, but I have pretty much zero experience with this kind of thing, so I may be wrong.
I’m in western Canada so I’m not that familiar with Eumorpha pandorus but a quick look at what the larvae feed on suggests to me that you should look for a place with a lot of these plants. In my experience grapes, peppervine, and Virginia creeper are abundant around hedgerows and old abandoned farms. A hedgerow on an old farm near a forest edge might be ideal.
I agree that forest edge is a good idea. Especially if it’s facing a large, open area - the more physical space there is where the lamp can be seen, the more insects that will be attracted.
This is a Google Earth shot of where I was thinking of setting up along that rarely used maintenance road. There’s a corn field to the left, a grass field directly ahead and to the right and a pretty big forest behind and around the sides. This is near places that have multiple observations of pandorus and I’ve been in the area before so I know the forest has grape and creeper. Also should the light be facing more the forest or the fields?
I’m no expert by a long shot, but I live on a forested site across a dirt road from farmed acreage. That is currently, and the for the next few years planted asparagus. Previously it changed crops annually. Spraying crops causes much “collateral damage”. That being said, I’d focus on luring moths from the forest and grassier side.
I would set it up facing the forest area. Depending on the type of sheet you use you should be able to attract moths from the field as well. Just remember to check the backside from time to time.
