Birds, Leps, Observations & Generalities - the images and ramblings of Mark Skevington. Sometimes.

Monday 25 July 2011

New Trap n Stuff

As most readers of this blog will have realised by now, the art of mothing involves trying a variety of methods and techniques - including different light sources in traps. I found a cheap source of some 22W Synergetic tubes which are used in some electric fly killer traps. They are supposedly better than standard actinic tubes as they have a dual peak output at 350nm and 540nm. Anyway, I bought a couple whilst Adrian sorted the control gear and utilised an existing vane concept for circular tubes. The most obvious thing about these lights is that they glow green rather than blue. Here is mine, coupled up with a standard CFL to give some extra visible light (all actinics seems to work better in combo with a standard tungsten or CFL light source).


How well it works is another matter - we'll see in a after a few outings. Meanwhile, here's some stuff from yesterday around Whetstone.

Teasel

St John's Wort - no idea which one!

Is this Zigzag Clover?

Tansy - I think

I think the above are both the same plant? What is it?

Gatekeeper in the garden yesterday

The controversial local wind farm near Gilmorton. Supposedly a total 8MW output sufficient for 5000 homes, though every time I've seen it the vanes are stationary even in the strongest wind. No idea whan it is going to be fully operational - was supposed to be June.

2 comments:

Trent Duval said...

Your umbellifer is a wild carrot I think. Look closely and you will usually find a single purple bloom in the centre of the white blooms.
The flower head turns inward after blooming, Check out Daucus carota.
Has a few country names ie Queen Annes Lace, which is sometimes applied to Cow Parsley as well.
Not 100% sure, but if it's not that then it is very closely related...eg a variety of cultivated carrot gone to seed.

Skev said...

Thanks Trent - that looks spot on.

Have you despatched the Toadflax Brocades northwards yet .....