Moth Traps - Captive or Cultivated?

General
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Hi guys. I’m a relatively new user of iNaturalist and I’m keen to be accurate with my submissions. I’m also using the app as part of a university project so was hoping to have a definitive answer to this. I have searched the forums and the web, but couldn’t find any posts about it, apologies if it’s been covered a million times and I’m just blind!

Moths in moth traps. Should they be tagged “Captive or Cultivated”?

I feel this would be inaccurate, as the moths are already present in my garden. Regardless of whether my trap is active or not. But perhaps I’m misunderstanding.

Thanks for your help!

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Hi @gongtong, welcome to the iNat Forum! Your scenario would count as “wild” on iNaturalist (not captive/cultivated), as long as you document the location and date you found it in the trap. Also wild:

  • a frog that falls into a pitfall trap
  • a bird captured in a mist net
  • a shrew in a Sherman trap
  • a fly on a sticky trap

etc !

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Hi! I wouldn’t tag them as such. The way I understand it, the tag is designed for domesticated/zoo-bound/sanctuary-dwelling animals. Even though the moths are ‘captive’ they’re basically wild moths that happened to pass by and fall in the trap

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