There have been other posts on the use of UV light for specific purposes. This post is to ask if there is any one light that people have found useful in the field for multiple purposes such as detection or identification of moths, scorpions, lichens or distant eyeshine (e.g. flying squirrels). So I have four areas to question but I suspect there are many more. :
WAVELENGTH. I’ve read 365 nM is best for lichens while 395 is best for scorpions. The latter wavelength apparently casting too much purple for some uses. Do people buy specific ranges or lights that cover a variety of range?
DISTANCE. My cheaper UV lamps are OK for up-close but not so good for distance. Do we have to accept one light for upclose work and another for distant work or is there a good compromise?
FILTERS. Some folks use filters to assure no visible light leaks out. Do many of you find that necessary?
EYE PROTECTION. A fourth related thing is if you wear eye protection? Some people have said they do. I understand UV light can damage the eyes so you have to be careful but I wonder if wearing protection strong enough to protect from a UV lamp would just make night observations harder. Plus being a barrier to possibly seeming other things, like snakes, that don’t fluoresce under UV light. .
Lastly as a casual comment but it might relate to what UV light you use, do people use UV lights in the field for other species? I’ve seen glowing UV images ranging from flowers to jellyfish to frogs but am curious if that has any value in the field. Thank you in advance.