Night vision binoculars

[James Kruse]

on 2/4/02 3:53 PM, Michael Gochfeld at gochfeld at EOHSI.RUTGERS.EDU wrote:

> I doubt that night vision binoculars (or even night vision scopes) would be
> very useful in determining the amount of butterflies flying at night.
 (snip)
> I can't imagine using them to pick out single butterflies on the wing, unless
> the migration were really heavy.
> 

The new generation night vision devices CAN pick out objects as small as
Vanessa spp., especially with active IR, but you are unlikely to be able to
identify the species. I mentioned that they would be the most useful where
you could set up a station monitoring a section of dirt road where
butterflies have been crossing during an active migration.

Of greater concern, however, is that third generation+ night vision devices
are much more expensive than what most people care to part with for such a
limited use item. The newest ones are well over U.S. $10,000.

Jim


James J. Kruse, Ph.D.
Curator of Entomology
University of Alaska Museum
907 Yukon Drive
Fairbanks, AK, USA 99775-6960
tel 907.474.5579
fax 907.474.1987
http://www.uaf.edu/museum/ento



 
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