Like a Moth to a Flame…
Here is an idea for nature study that is perfect for warm summer nights: moth study!
Take advantage of the fact that moths are attracted to light and collect them the way real scientists do!
Tonight, set up your experiment . Begin by getting a white sheet and stringing it up outside near your house. Then run an extension cord and set up a bright light to shine on the sheet all night (shop lights work great for this). A regular incandescent or fluorescent bulb will do fine, but a black light works even better! This bright light will attract moths to the sheet, where they will land and rest. You can go out at night and observe them (wear black to be stealthier!) or you can just wait until morning where they will be there waiting for you!
Here is a picture of Superboy’s set-up:
As you can see it isn’t too complicated!
Another method is to take some ripe banana or other sweet fruit, mash it and spread it on a tree trunk (molasses works, too). Leave it over night, as well. This is called “sugaring” and can work well, too. I don’t like this method as much as it tends to attract ants and other bugs (and bears), too. But why not try both methods and see what works best for you!
In the morning you should have several moths to look at, draw (or take photos), and identify. If you are really lucky, you could end up with this!
For identification keys, try here: Moth identification or Butterflies and Moths of NA.
For more than you ever wanted to know about moths, check out this wonderful site: Moth Matters this site has not only great information and photos, but also super activities like a moth maze, moth word search, moth quiz, hunting and catching tips for moths and caterpillars, and a great “Design Your Own Moth” activity!
For more great printables on moths, check out Enchanted Learning’s moth pages:
Have fun!!!!
Filed under: nature study
Very cool idea! We’ll have to try this sometime this summer. My daughter is really getting into nature study, I think she’d dig this project.
I love these ideas… We were studying moths a little last week, when we found an especially large and nicely colored one. These ideas will tie in nicely to what we’ve already done!
Awesome! I’ve done the smushed fruit idea before (we added a bit of beer and left it for a day before spreading) with my buggy sister. My job was to hold the special envelope that held her specimens…but unbeknownst to me the bottom unfolded and she would place them in the top and they’d fall right out the bottom. Oops! But we had a great time and saw some great moths too.