Moths and lights - what do you use?
Submitted: Monday, Jun 04, 2007 at 23:03
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Member - Captain (WA)
Hi all, have just got back from a great trip up to
Ningaloo,
Millstream and Karijini. But we experienced the worst moths at night I have ever come across at
Ningaloo (and the flys during the day were something else - first time in over 20 years I have bought a
fly net for the hat!).
When using the fluro light over the camper tailgate kitchen, you could barely see the light for moths. I ended up turning the fluro off and using the worklight on the rear of the GU to try and attract the moths away. It worked to some degree, but running 2 engels off 1 battery plus the worklight for a few hours resulted in a flat 2nd battery the next morning.
I got to thinking and wondered if yellow fluro (or LED) 12V lights available and do they minimise bugs? At one stage I resorted to the red LED headlight and this seemed to work, but not really enough light to
cook by.
Anyway, just wondering what others did when the moths are this bad. Interestingly,
Millstream had virtually no flys or moths while Karijini had just enough to notice them, but had the Dingoes certainly howled there at night.
Cheers
Captain
Reply By: Hero - Monday, Jun 04, 2007 at 23:25
Monday, Jun 04, 2007 at 23:25
Captain, You need to find a light that does not emit UV light, the below link may be worth a look.
Site Link
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Captain (WA) - Monday, Jun 04, 2007 at 23:35
Monday, Jun 04, 2007 at 23:35
Hi Hero,
Thanks for that, the ad blurb sounds good. Have you actually used one and does it make the difference?
Cheers
Captain
FollowupID:
505866
Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 14:37
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 14:37
My Ironman rechargeable torch has Bug-R-Off technology but not been that far off in moth territory. The LEDs in the KK seem to attract fewer moths though.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Muzzgit [WA] - Monday, Jun 04, 2007 at 23:32
Monday, Jun 04, 2007 at 23:32
Yes Captain I was going to say LED's don't appear to attract moths and so on.
How was milstream? We had a great 3 days there. We just plonked for some
well earned R & R after not having holidays for a couple of years before heading up to
Broome. The road thru from
Auski roadhouse had a few corrugations and rear window smashing rocks (500 bucks later thank you very much !) but we enjoyed it very much.
AnswerID:
244788
Follow Up By: Member - Captain (WA) - Monday, Jun 04, 2007 at 23:41
Monday, Jun 04, 2007 at 23:41
Hi Muzzgit,
Millstream was great, just wish we had more time to spend there. Had a couple of kayaks with us and paddled a few kays upstream. Only us on the river plus the abundant wildlife - just unreal.
We did several hundred kays on gravel but no problems. I neglected to put my full length mudflap on, but the stone guard on the camper worked a treat, nothing thrown back.
Cheers
Captain
FollowupID:
505867
Reply By: Member - Navigator 1 - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 01:03
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 01:03
A cheap option is to put
orange cellophane paper around your light. Works
well.
Rob
AnswerID:
244799
Reply By: Member - Jeff H (QLD) - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 01:39
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 01:39
Agree with Nav 1: worth trying a yellow Chux or yellow rubbish bag wrapped around the light. Helps sometimes.
AnswerID:
244803
Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 05:59
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 05:59
Captain,
I have a 12 volt LED light, similar in size to the Versalite fluro. (and costing about the same price)
It doesn't put out quite as much lumens as the versalite, but certainly reduces the insect attraction to almost nothing.
I now use the LED light at the cooking end of the Camper annex and the versalite at the other end.
Can notice a considerable number of moths, insects etc., around the versalite at times whilst there would be maybe one or two around the LED.
So yes, the LED does work in limiting insect attraction, albeit at the expense of less brightness.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Ron173 - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 07:16
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 07:16
carry a can of mortein and blitz them in big batches off your light
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Captain (WA) - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 13:15
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 13:15
Hi Ron,
I tried that but 10 minutes later there was just as many! Besides, the dead ones all tried to end up in my cooking. It was the worst I have ever seen it for months and I am sure the still nights didn't help.
Cheers
Captain
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Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 07:36
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 07:36
Something a bit old fashioned, but works
well is the old kerosene lantern.
They don't attract the moths, and amazing how much light they put out.
1/2 litre of kero goes a long way.
Usually carry one and put it outside for a general light on those moonless nights.
If you want to be fancy, you can put some citronela oil in too, helps to keep the mozzies away if they are around.
Otherwise, as above, yellow the tube, or use LEDs.
AnswerID:
244815
Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 09:44
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 09:44
Agreed. My 12V flouro attracts moths by the dozen but they never seem to bother with my Coleman petrol lantern.
Mike Harding
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Reply By: Doodle - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 09:38
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 09:38
Hi Captain - I give the fluro tube a light spray with yellow paint (aerosol). Works a treat.
Cheers
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: turbopete - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 11:52
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 11:52
hahahaha then no one could see anything
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Reply By: Member - Kevin J (QLD) - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 11:07
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 11:07
G'day Captain,
Found the answer last year in the Kimberleys. We were using the fluros on the camper and had plagues of moths and insects. Turned the flouros off and lit the gas (mantle type) on the basis that we could sit the light source away from where we were sitting. To our amazment there were very few insects at all on the gas light and those that did come got hot feet and burnt wings so they were no further bother.
Kevin J
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Captain (WA) - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 13:13
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 13:13
Hi Kevin,
I haven't used my gas lantern for years, too many broken mantles, but it is certainly worth a try.
Thanks
Captain
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Outa Bounds - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 13:21
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 13:21
Oh darn, I think those two brand spanking new coleman lanterns (battery type) are flouro!
We got rid of our gas lantern as
well, just seemed too fragile and we always found lighting it to be a pain.
I guess if all else fails
well carry a Led headlamp which should hopefully do the trick, and throw in some yellow cello like mentioned!
The things you learn here!
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Captain (WA) - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 13:31
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 13:31
Thanks all for your suggestions. Will give them a go and see how I get on.
Cheers
Captain
AnswerID:
244886
Reply By: The Birds (WA) - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 13:43
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 13:43
Interesting reading as heading up that way soon.
Anyone no where you can get a good LED type worklight ?? Any recomendations ?
Thanks
AnswerID:
244889
Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 14:43
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 14:43
They aren't inexpensive but they are good. You may get a better deal at 4by shows. Site Link
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 15:02
Tuesday, Jun 05, 2007 at 15:02
Try some boat shops (oops, chandlers) like Whitworths.
FollowupID:
505983
Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Wednesday, Jun 06, 2007 at 00:02
Wednesday, Jun 06, 2007 at 00:02
I bought mine from a local Camping
Shop. (Christies Camping in S.A.)
It is a "Super Bright" brand 8000MCD LED 12 volt Work Light. 2.4W
Part No. LED060.
Looks as though the Part No. relates to the fact it has 20 rows of 3 LEDS for a total of 60.
Maybe not quite
bright enough as the only light in the camp site, but used for cooking, will certainly put less "extras" in the pot.
As I mentioned I combine this with the Versalite at the other end of the annex for a good projection of light, without putting undue loading on the battery pack.
I also have an
EvaKool Torpedo Camping light which is as good as the Versalight, but having a (compact) fluro lamp, also has a tendency to attract insects.
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Reply By: Rod W - Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007 at 14:01
Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007 at 14:01
LED's are the way to go. And NO they don't attract insects. Heres another site www.ledshoponline.com/index.html
How many of you have/wear LED Headlamps? Do ya have insects buzzing around ya head? Think not.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Mainey (WA) - Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 at 13:58
Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 at 13:58
Another method is a 12v Low voltage electronic compact fluorescent lamp, the 12Watt globe = 60 Watt incandescent light globe and puts out 600 Lumen.
It’s available in either “warm white” incandescent 3000k or “natural’ light 5000k, they can wire up directly off the battery, or there is the normal 240v version that runs off the inverter.
I use both, depending on the placement of the ‘kitchen table’ as the 12v one can be placed a long way away, because it can connect to the battery system via the
solar panel extension cable and having the main light away from the actual "lounge" & "dining" area keeps the bugs away from the food & drinks.
AnswerID:
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