HOW OUR TRAPS WORK
Like a moth to a …. lamp
The key to the success of our solar-powered moth traps is the high efficiency light emitting diodes (LEDs) and solar cells for recharging the storage batteries. Simple to assemble, the moth traps have a long-lasting cover for the rechargeable batteries, solar cell and the electronic controls.
The story of the lamp and moth is one of fatal attraction. The potentially fatal lure of the moth to the light has long been a scientific mystery, but experts theorise that the LED lights in our solar moth traps confuse the animals’ navigational systems.
Moths are attracted to light, particularly UV purple light: a phenomenon known as positive phototaxis. Being primarily nocturnal creatures, moths evolved to travel by the glimmer of the moon; a method called transverse orientation.
Read what our customers say…
I have now ordered 3 of these traps – one for ourselves, and 2 for my brothers. This is the first year we haven’t had worms all through our Feijoas – Thank you so much 🙂
Wanda Lis 28/05/24
“Our eco trap is brilliant, we have a variety of fruit trees, plum, orange, lemon and lime and we have had so much trouble with guava moths, nothing else seemed to work, until we got the eco trap, the best buy I ever brought, I would thoroughly recommend it if you are having trouble with moths eating your fruit.”
Pam Pearson from Auckland 12/10/22
“The traps are wonderful” We have a small heritage orchard here that we have restored. Guavas, apples, pears, plums, apricot. They were plagued with guava and codling moth. Your traps have reduced the pests by 90%.”
Mike Gallagher from Auckland 03/09/2022
“I am writing to thank you for the Solar moth trap I purchased from you last year (2021). Your moth trap works very well. I have six Feijoa trees in fruit now on a standard size block in Mangawhai Heads and this year my Feijoas are totally bug free and yummy, thanks to your trap. The trap is simple to set up and maintain, is reliable and catches lots of moths and bugs in the cooking oil I set. Awesome! Thank you!”
Philip Harris from Mangawhai 21/03/22
“I just wanted to say wow your ‘moth traps’ really work! I had a hell of a problem the last few years and especially last year – my fruit was buggered! I’m a home orchardist on a very small scale and I have apples, citrus, and plenty more varieties of fruit and also nuts – not one of my apples are buggered so far this year and last year by this early stage you could see they were already moth eaten! I have caught hundreds of moths in my oil (I’m a scrooge so I use the oil first then replace the moth filled oil with my used cooking oil!) – just so impressed so I needed to say THANKS!!!!!! Your traps should be sold everywhere there’s a garden centre – that way we could even start to control overseas unwanted guests in our own gardens – if everyone in areas with problem moths had one of these and used it we wouldn’t have to spray!
Thanks again – it’s brilliant!
Tania Fasher
“Just purchased trap 10/11/2021 put it into tree in orchard checked this morning. Truly unbelievable how many moths in the tray very pleased with this, every one needs these in their orchards thanks great results”
Bob Woods from Whangarei 10/11/21
” I have to email you to say how pleased I am with my eco traps They fill with moths and other insects and I clean them out each week. The fruit on my trees has not looked this good for many seasons. Usually by now I have a lot more evidence of guava moth damage”
Wendy Sutherland from Huapai – 23/11/21
How to set up a solar moth trap
How to use a moth trap at your place
How to use a moth trap couldn’t really be much easier. Simply put the solar powered moth trap close to the infested area and in a place where it gets sufficient sunlight during the day to recharge the batteries. Traps need to be situated so their irresistible glow can be seen from a distance.
When the ambient light is low enough, the sensing circuit turns the LEDs on, creating an intense glow that also reflects off the aluminium tray and its surroundings. The moths are attracted by this purple haze, get confused and inadvertently touch the sticky oil, becoming trapped.
The height from the ground appears to affect the catch rate. During trials, we found that approximately one meter above the ground was about right. Two or three mm of light oil, such as cooking oil, is all you need in the catch tray.
At some times during the year, such as early spring, the overnight moth catch could be so large that the tray will need to be emptied and the oil replaced daily. The reflective finish on the aluminium tray adds to the moth trap’s effectiveness, so works better when clean. Normally, a tray will last a long time if carefully used.
More about guava moths
The guava moth is a relatively new invader to New Zealand Aotearoa. Coming from Australia, it was first found in Northland in 1997. It has slowly, but surely, made its way southward, merrily munching its way through feijoas, guavas, loquats, plums, peaches, citrus, pears, apples, macadamias and other nuts along the way, and leaving behind fruit riddled with tiny caterpillars. Having no natural predators, these pesky little moths pose a huge threat to commercial fruit growers, nurseries, home gardens and orchards.
Guava moth life cycle
A pest that breeds all year round, the female guava moth lays its eggs on the outside of the fruit and the newly hatched larvae then burrow inside, so your fruit falls early from the tree. Pick up your damaged fruit and you’ll see a little hole. Inside you’ll find the culprit: the guava moth larvae. The damage is like that caused by another unwelcome pest, the codling moth.
Why didn’t other moth traps work?
Initial mass-trapping to get rid of guava moths with pheromone traps didn’t definitively reduce fruit damage, even when 300 traps per hectare were used. A lot of male moths were caught, but to save your fruit you need to kill the females before they lay any eggs.
To do that, you need something even sexier than a feijoa. You need the fatal attraction of a solar powered moth trap.
