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Post by vabrou on Feb 5, 2022 5:55:09 GMT -8
tv, you may find it unbelievable but the record quantity of insects we captured here on our little 10 acres in Louisiana in a single 24-hour period amounted to approximately 124 million specimens, based upon a statistical sampling techniques in accordance with the U.S. Department of Defense Military Standard 105D. This occurred after operating our traps at the very same location for several decades. I have claimed numerous times in similar discussions that those who ignorantly assume I am wiping out the insect fauna by collecting with high-wattage light traps and hundreds of insect traps for 40 years, 24 hours daily/nightly, 365/366 days, just the exact opposite actually occurs. Why, well I do have answers, but I don't want to again explain this phenomena here. I might say, if you haven't done the research, then you are spouting BS. For example, I have stayed away from many similar discussions in this forum for decades, because certain people are adamant about their baseless uninformed opinions on the web. One familiar person (a self-proclaimed expert) on this forum (now banned for dishonesty) repeatedly made false statements as facts concerning collecting and collecting equipment, and because I was personally acquainted and corresponded with him decades earlier, I knew it was a futile activity to engage him. But, numerous readers (not all), foolishly believed what he said. One should have actual experiences and knowledge before publicly making unproven declarations. Though, this individual is not alone in stating/publishing foolishness. I have discovered that authors of major publications over the past two centuries all the way to present day have most often just plagiarized (parroted) what previous authors stated. And these authors have a long list of learned acronyms behind their names. I have 600+ still in process manuscripts sitting next to me here now. One I have been working on for about 20 years involves the clearwing moth Synanthedon arkansasensis Duckworth and Eichlin 1973. We (Charlotte & Vernon) have personally captured about 400,000 Louisiana clearwing moths, the majority here at our home property. What we have discovered among the ~25 Louisiana species new to science is that for S. arkansasensis, these very same authors have placed this name on at least 13 different clearwing moth species. I did the research by looking at everything related or involved, e.g. re-evaluating the Type series in the Smithsonian, obtaining (loans) past/current museum and university holdings across the US, and from private collections, etc. Even the original 1973 TYPE series contained 5 different species of clearwing moths labeled by them as S. arkansasensis. Most persons consider these learned authors who publish major works are the experts. Nothing can be further from the truth. What is the truth is that these publications are just personal opinions about these matters, and are only viable until the next expert publishes something different about these matters. Later, these same two researchers (D.& E.) authored the MONA clearwing moth fascicle (1988), which poorly addressed a grand total of 129 species in N.A. Personally, I believe there are actually more than 1,000 species of clearwing moths in N.A.
Even the very first MONA fascicle left out 8 different species of hawkmoths known at the time of publication, and there were many significant errors and plagiarisms published as well; but these things were kept secret to this very year 2022 (more than a half-century) by the sponsoring governing board of this series. I always say, don't believe anything you read, even scientific publications. Jpg of a few Louisiana Paranthrene simulans for effect.
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Post by exoticimports on Feb 5, 2022 7:02:47 GMT -8
Vernon, it’s pretty clear that if your light traps were going to wipe out Leps it would have happened a long time ago.
Chuck
Oh BTW how do the Leps get INTO the kill chamber? I don’t see any funnel or other mechanism
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Post by vabrou on Feb 5, 2022 8:14:38 GMT -8
Chuck, My traps are configured in numerous positions, for numerous purposes, e.g. some work by allowing the specimens to travel upward into the trap/collection chambers, and some by entering sideways and then travelling upwards or downwards, but most traveling downward due to gravity. My light traps may have a downward facing 'big' lamp or upward facing 'big' lamp above some fluorescent tubes, most with accompanying vertically placed 15 watt-25 watt fluorescent blacklights. I have constructed a few traps with rain coverings over the past half century and ran the for many years for research comparisons. All of these light traps are essentially a light fixture involving lamps, lamp holders, sockets, ballast, starters and starter holders, just like the light fixtures one uses in our daily lives. For the larger MV lamps without built in ballast (e.g. MV lamps) I designed a separate ballast box see (J) in attached jpg. These light fixtures are composed of lighter gauge galvanized sheet metal, pop-rivetted together, undercoated with galvalume primer, flat-black epoxy overcoat. This fixture is attached to a galvanized funnel with 4" diameter tube which attaches to a separate collection chamber with a 4" diameter entrance. This collection chamber design for huge volumes of captures only works with a quick knockdown killing agent (cyanide [best] or some similar dispatching agents). You can see some of the light fixtures above the funnel in the attached jpg. The use of galvanized sheet metal/ galvalume/epoxy coatings proved that traps I designed and fabricated 50 years ago that remained in full time use for a half century remained rust free, nor displayed other deleterious effects.
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Post by vabrou on Feb 10, 2022 9:10:24 GMT -8
Think out of the box. One of the earliest lepidopterists in Louisiana was Ludwig von Reizenstein. This German immigrant Baron Ludwig von Reizenstein (1826-1885) was born July 14 in Marktsteft am Main (Bavaria), a region located in the southeast of Germany, to a family of aristocrats of ancient noble lineage. His father sent him to America in 1848. After exhausting what money he had, he survived by shucking oysters, watching cows for a farmer, and as a travelling bird-cage salesman. A relative in St. Louis, Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Egloffstein who ran a surveying office let him learn on the job, and Ludwig later settled in New Orleans. By 1851, he had established himself as a civil engineer, architect, journalist, amateur naturalist, and publisher in New Orleans. There he married, and began editing a German language weekly, the Alligator, and contributing to other German language newspapers, particularly the Louisiana Staats-Zeitung, a German daily. L. von Reizenstein died on August 19 1885 at 59 years of age and his wife Augusta von Reizenstein died on September 2 1886 at the age of 62. Their daughter Sophie von Reizenstein Berthelson was born March 6, 1853 and died July 13, 1923 at the age of 70. In 1863 (middle of the Civil War), he published von Reizenstein, Ludwig. 1863. Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of New Orleans and its vicinity. Isaac T. Hinton. New Orleans, 10pp.
I bring this up because Ludwig made hundreds of lepidoptera discoveries, many of which were by collecting with a lantern in a window of his home.
Back in the 1960s I obtained publications about light trapping by numerous researchers including among dozens, Perry Glick, and Stuart Frost. I immediately began working on improvements to the known collecting devices, in particular methods and equipment that would allow me to collect 24 hours daily non-stop without having to be present to actually collect, which is why the last time I collected using a sheet was 1968. Early on I used electric timers to turn my light traps on and off. I progressed to automatic on-off photoelectric controls which were much more accurate and changed according to the amount of sunlight on any given day of the year.
Stuart Frost with light trap circa ~1960s at Univ. of Pennsylvania. (rare photo)
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Post by tv on Feb 10, 2022 15:13:31 GMT -8
I have discovered that authors of major publications over the past two centuries all the way to present day have most often just plagiarized (parroted) what previous authors stated. And these authors have a long list of learned acronyms behind their names. I did the research by looking at everything related or involved, e.g. re-evaluating the Type series in the Smithsonian, obtaining (loans) past/current museum and university holdings across the US, and from private collections, etc. Even the original 1973 TYPE series contained 5 different species of clearwing moths labeled by them as S. arkansasensis. Most persons consider these learned authors who publish major works are the experts. Nothing can be further from the truth. What is the truth is that these publications are just personal opinions about these matters, and are only viable until the next expert publishes something different about these matters. Later, these same two researchers (D.& E.) authored the MONA clearwing moth fascicle (1988), which poorly addressed a grand total of 129 species in N.A. Personally, I believe there are actually more than 1,000 species of clearwing moths in N.A.
Even the very first MONA fascicle left out 8 different species of hawkmoths known at the time of publication, and there were many significant errors and plagiarisms published as well; but these things were kept secret to this very year 2022 (more than a half-century) by the sponsoring governing board of this series. I always say, don't believe anything you read, even scientific publications. Jpg of a few Louisiana Paranthrene simulans for effect. <button disabled="" class="c-attachment-insert--linked o-btn--sm">Attachment Deleted</button> Once again Vernon, thank you for all the great info and pictures. Those are some very sharp looking clearwings. I personally have never seen ones with that sort of coloration, do you know if they make it as far north as Missouri? I'm mostly a beetle guy, but I'm really starting to think about trying out a bait trap...
I did want to say that I think that it's being a little pessimistic to say that you can't believe anything you read. Entomology is just a hobby for me, I'm a scientist by day, and I'll be first to agree that there are going to be bad scientists along with all the good ones. That said, I would argue that in general most scientists aren't out to actively mislead, but rather they're doing their best given human limitations and outside factors (things like location/access, technological limitations, time/deadlines, etc.). The process of science is reliant on each iteration ratcheting us closer to the truth. As understanding and technology progress, we replace or revise things that have been found to not match the currently known facts. That doesn't mean that the previous work was wrong, but rather a valid conclusion given the flawed understanding of the time. They don't call Copernicus an idiot for not knowing about black holes, they applaud that he figured out the planets revolve around the sun. The important thing was that he brought forth the ideas and established a new plateau of understanding for future generations to start from.
I think you can probably attest to the fact that if you wait for perfection/complete picture, you'll never publish. There's always going to be that one other thing that could have been added, but at some point you have to say that this is good enough. The fact that they published the MONA (with all it's virtues and failures) years ago means that you now have a framework to start from as you identify the hundreds of more species that you've found through your research. Are some of their conclusions wrong/data bad/species omitted? Absolutely, it was put together by imperfect humans. But that's still infinitely better than having nothing at all. That you were able to identify and correct these things is evidence that the scientific process is working.
This started out as defense of scientific literature, but I guess in a way it has sort of turned into a plea for you and your wife to keep publishing your findings. I can't help but think the information and experience you both have gathered will never be matched again and it needs to be added to the literature to make sure the next generation of entomologists aren't still thinking there are only 129 species of clearwing moths in NA.
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Post by trehopr1 on Feb 10, 2022 16:21:06 GMT -8
Very well put indeed tv !
Bravo...
I too, said something to this effect in another thread not so long ago.
We work with what we have available at a given place and time (with the tools we have available); and hopefully build upon that existing "groundbreaking" work which preceded us !
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Post by vabrou on Feb 21, 2022 16:29:35 GMT -8
I don't do 'SHEETS' Though I did in 1968, and moved on to more sensible methods of collecting in 1969.
Here is the last light trap I designed, fabricated and am running continuously now for the past 4 years. Like all of my other traps of all kinds the collection chamber uses granular cyanide as killing agent. Am anticipating the big explosion of moths and other insects which historically occurs each year in south Louisiana around March 1.
Previously for the past 40 years at this location I was operating 7 high-wattage light traps. We have decided that since our continuous light trapping is now in its 53rd year and we are getting too old to do all the things we did when we were younger. So we unplugged 6 of the 7 light traps in 2021. We continue to operate the one light trap seen here to keep the all-time light trapping record going. Began light trapping in 1969 when I was 20 years old. We have never turned off our light traps in 53 years, yet. Every day for the past 53 years is like opening hundreds of boxes of cracker jacks each day and finding surprises. Though we have around 250 clearwing moth lure traps we are only operating about 20 presently, though I no doubt will increase the number of these in the coming months. We still have a few hundred semiochemical lures in our refrigerator.
One thing I have excelled at since retiring from work employment is sleeping. Though most days I actually only sleep 3-4 hours. This oddity has contributed to me getting more things done than most people. Much of my past 40 years, I typically slept 5 hours daily.
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Post by vabrou on Feb 21, 2022 17:32:45 GMT -8
Here is this same trap under construction illustrating the open top drawer (1 of 4 screened drawers) which has the centered rain drain. My traps use no outward rain protection covering, instead the rain water enters the trap funnel just as the insects do, and is directed out the front of the upper drawer. The 4 screened drawers use different size mesh screening which separates the insects according to four general sizes.
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Post by vabrou on Feb 21, 2022 17:40:11 GMT -8
H ere is another collection chamber coming out of the shop about 15 years ago illustrating the three screen separating drawers. Cyanide is placed below the drawers. Light trap attaches at the center top via 4" dia coupling.
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Post by trehopr1 on Feb 22, 2022 0:53:57 GMT -8
Vernon,
After looking at the last 3 photos of your light trap setups I have to say they are WITHOUT equal. Just impressive in their construction top to bottom !
You realize that you could probably have a small cottage industry selling such types of apparatus to collectors with deep pockets.
In fact, you could probably sell off the light setups that you no longer use and would probably have no problem finding willing buyers !
They do look elaborate in their construction but, one can easily see that a lot of thought was put into the design and efficiency of the apparatus.
I have to say that you certainly are the "go to guy" (Yoda) in all matters of light trap construction.
Bravo...
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Post by vabrou on Feb 22, 2022 5:40:53 GMT -8
trehopr1
I had a sideline business for about 16 years designing custom made light traps and my unique collection chambers. They were not cheap, but they worked like nothing existing anywhere. Much of my life I worked 60-80 and more hours per week, add to that driving (100 miles daily) = 3-4 hours daily. Running ~150+ traps round the clock, this all was too much to handle. Exemplified by my heart attack and death in 1991, and several other later medical events, e.g. here is a link to a 2012 incident I published about when I was lost in the tall marsh vegetation, and subsequently required hospitalization. link: www.academia.edu/2588451/I_fought_the_bugs_and_the_bugs_nearly_won_A_misadventure_I_will_not_soon_forget Well multiple hospitalizations for deep vein thrombosis and multiple pulmonary embolisms, multiple leg injuries, multiple cervical, thoracic and lumbar surgeries and over 20 epidural steroid injections, 4 laser eve surgeries, and 400 other official medical diagnosis in my personal medical records, bottom line: I AM STILL HERE and daily/nightly collecting insects and discovering more than 400 species of just moths alone here in Louisiana over the past half century. Despite selling the 'Cadillac of light traps back in the 80s-90s, I wasn't making enough to make it worthwhile to continue to sell them.
For attention, Attached is my main fieldtrip light trap set up near dusk in coastal Louisiana, the open treeless cordgrass prairie (habitat of Automeris louisiana Ferguson & Brou), which I discovered there in 1975.
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Post by vabrou on Feb 22, 2022 6:04:38 GMT -8
Trehopr1, I have been slowly dispersing much of my 450-500 various insect traps, and I have a packed 10' Cargo trailer with my fieldtrip collecting equipment. Recently, gave out 75 or so bottles and jars and cans of Sodium and Calcium cyanides, jars/bottles of numerous chemicals used by entomologists, and a hundred+ spreading boards and other specimens processing equipment, sold 5 generators already to other collectors and friends. Also have a rather huge mostly scientifically lepidoptera reference library (2 rooms), some individual impossible to get volumes valued at > 5,000.00, also have a considerable number of major (Taxonomical) works published over the past half century signed by the publishing authors (to me).
Waiting for a reasonable offer for my filled Cargo trailer of collecting equipment (2) 6,000 watt commercial duty generators, 4 or more light traps, cases of extra lamps/bulbs, automatic pop-up tent, automatic inflatable matress, heavy duty cot, on and on), as Charlotte and I decided there will be no more future fieldtrips away from our home property. Here e.g. is jpg of Cargo trailer. Anyone wishing to contact me will find my E-mail address on most all of my 400+ publications available on the web. Also have 2 1/2 metal drums of Sodium Cyanide, 2 unopened, among other possibilities.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Feb 22, 2022 9:05:32 GMT -8
H ere is another collection chamber coming out of the shop about 15 years ago illustrating the three screen separating drawers. Cyanide is placed below the drawers. Light trap attaches at the center top via 4" dia coupling. View AttachmentOne thing that puzzles me looking at this photo, is how do the moths (particularly larger ones) get into the drawers? Do they effectively squeeze through a 4" hole? Adam.
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Post by vabrou on Feb 22, 2022 12:18:56 GMT -8
Adam, 4" diameter is a perfect size for adults of all insects found in North America. Numerous tens of thousands of saturnidae were captured with these same entrance dimensions. And at least 200,000 hawkmoths had no difficulty either. The larger moths of course are the heaviest, and when the hit the bottom of the funnel, they travel down the 4 diameter pvc pipe without any difficulty. This same 4" diameter has worked flawlessly for the past half century. Length of the vertical pipe makes no difference, e.g. in this same thread on Feb 4, 2022 at 5:04pm I posted an image illustrating traps mounted on exceptionally long 4" diameter tubes. The two traps on the right sit at a height of ~53 feet above the ground.
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Post by vabrou on Feb 22, 2022 17:58:30 GMT -8
October 6-2019 Just turned on our light trap in the open treeless cordgrass prairie in coastal marshlands of Louisiana. Not sure we have enough UV light here. 2,495 watts on one light trap trap, [8 (15 watt) fluorescent blacklights, and 5 self-ballasted 275-watt reflector sunlamps, and one 1,000-watt clear mercury vapor lamps. All of these lamp identities are classified as blacklights. Local collector buddy in photo. Our target species was the saturnid Automeris louisiana which the larvae naturally feed upon the cordgrass ( Spartina alterniflora Loisel.), and we have found cocoons of A. louisiana attached to the cordgrass stems. In this environment, we attract huge numbers of fiddler crabs to the surrounding trap areas. Sometimes we attract numerous frogs and crawfish to the traps. The one ballast box to operate the one (1,000 watt) mercury vapor lamp weighs 35 pounds.
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