Have you ever wondered why some many insects are buzzing around your front or back porch light at night?

It’s because insects are attracted to white and blue lights. This is helpful when you try to collect insects, some insects only come out at night so that makes collecting them harder. Wouldn’t it be fun to collect insects that you have never seen because they are only out at night?

An Entomologist is someone who collects, studies, and preserves insects. Entomologist have to study all insects, even the ones that only come out at night and they use light to help them You can be an entomologist too and collect insects at night!

Here is how!

To collect bugs at night you will need:

  • 1 sheet of paper
  • Flashlight
  • Tape

Go outside and hang your piece of paper in a place where you can shine a light behind it.

Be sure to turn your porch light off.

Turn your flashlight on. You might have to wait a few minutes.

Sit quietly and see if insects are attracted to your piece of paper!

Look at the insects that landed on your paper, do you see any insects that you have never seen before?

Try counting all the different insects you see, try practicing proper collection that you learned from your JMG instructor.

Share your collection with your friend and family!