Lights, Moths and Man

[Leptraps at aol.com]

I have read the majority of the posts which attempt to determine the effects 
of light pollution on insect populations, and, bug zappers.

I have an extremely personal interest in the effects of lights on insects 
because I design, fabricate, use, and market light traps for the collection 
of insects. I make the ultimate insect killing machine using UV light as the 
attractant. As brutal as it may sound, it is fact. I am very good at what I 
do. As a result, I take tons of criticism from every "bug hugger" 
(conservationist) on the face of the earth. Due to my interest, I read 
virtually everything that is published on lights that relate to insects. I 
can therefore say with a great deal of confidence that habitat loss has the 
greatest negative effect on insects populations, period. I have collected 
moths with light traps all over the United States, places like the Florida 
Keys, the coastal areas near Myrtle Beach & Hilton Head, SC, and the majority 
of coastal Georgia have been developed, millions of acres of habitat lost, 
and with it, the moths. There is no published study that can prove that Light 
Pollution has a negative effect on insect population. There are hundreds of 
published studies on the loss of habitat and the negative effect on wildlife.

There have been several studies on suburban electric insect traps (the 
politically correct names for "Bug Zappers"). The most recent was published 
in Ent. News 107(2): 77-82, March & April 1996; "Density and Diversity of 
Non-target Insects Killed By Suburban Electric Insect Traps by Timothy B. 
Frick & Douglas W. Tallamy." It is a very interesting article. In a nut 
shell, Bug Zappers are designed and marketed to "kill Mosquitos," and the 
study concludes that Bug Zappers Kill every but Mosquitos.

If you collect moths, then you know that the ultimate light pollution is a 
full moon! 

Cheers,

Leroy C. Koehn
202 Redding Road
Georgetown, KY  40324
Home: 502-570-9123
Cell: 502-803-5422
Office: 800-811-9187: Ext # 108
E-mail: Leptraps at aol.com

"let's get among em"

 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl