InsectNet forum

I've been seeing Nymphalis antiopa around my area, for the first time in years. Can anyone recommend a good bait recipe for this species? Also, Anaea andria are now flying. I have a bait trap that's basically of this type, but considerably more sturdy in design, which I bought from BioQuip some years ago -

Mashed banana seems to be the old standby. No reason you can't put three small dishes in there with a variety.

I think there are some recipes for bait that have been posted, I know Vernon has a thread about the topic. To me it sounds like any mashed up fruit, and some liquid.
I am going to try my first butterfly trapping this season, if nothing else than it's going to be easier than netting them. I found some premade
traps and other supplies at a site ( Forestry Suppliers,INC.

I have found that my catocala bait works well on antiopa, comma, interrogations, vanessa atalanta. Beer, brown sugar, over-ripe bananas and molasses.The space on the pictured trap between the bait tray and net looks way to much. I would think most would not end up flying that far up to get into the trap. I keep the bait tray an inch or two from the netting above, and mine have a lip at the bottom end of the trap so the butterfly/moth will not escape as easily.

Thank you kevinkk for the heads up on that website.
Think I'm going to buy myself one of those hanging bait traps myself.
A whole lot more affordable than Ole' Leroy's "higher than hell" bait traps.

mothman55 wrote: Tue Mar 18, 2025 9:15 pm The space on the pictured trap between the bait tray and net looks way to much. I would think most would not end up flying that far up to get into the trap.

I agree absolutely, the gap should not be more than 1 1/2 inches, even 2 inches is too wide.

Of course you need a bait container that is less than the height of the gap!

Adam.

Thanks to all for your input. The trap pictured is constructed somewhat differently from mine, which doesn't have so wide a gap between the bait tray platform and net.