Large orange crane fly. Legs detached but they were a uniform dark orange/brown. Two conspecifics found in the same BG mosquito trap
I came out for some blacklighting after pre Tropical Storm Alex crossed Florida from the west, passing near Lake Okeechobee. South Florida was doused with rain, some places reported 10+ inches in Miami-Dade county. Most of the rain stopped in the early evening. There was light wind and a small shower that passed over while I was blacklighting. Moon was illuminated around 26%, temps in the mid to high 70's.
I set up three sheets in total and the one near the beginning of the Anhinga Trail was dominated by aquatic insects including toe biters and water scavenger beetles. This observation is from the third sheet described below.
1: Near the beginning of the Anhinga Trail, facing North, lit by a bioquip blacklight connected to battery with 12v outlet made for jumping car/inflating tires:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?captive=any&d1=2022-06-04&d2=2022-06-05&nelat=25.38251535211241&nelng=-80.60699945111232&order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&swlat=25.381848946886805&swlng=-80.60983454604106&user_id=joemdo
2: Close to the beginning of the Old Ingraham Highway trail close to Royal Palm Visitors Center. Lit by two DJ blacklights connected to USB battery pack:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?captive=any&d1=2022-06-04&d2=2022-06-05&nelat=25.382105242961273&nelng=-80.60959391640706&order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&swlat=25.38143883547254&swlng=-80.61031408952756&user_id=joemdo
3: Further down the Old Ingraham Highway, but still not very far down the trail. Lit by two DJ blacklights connected to USB battery pack:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?captive=any&d1=2022-06-04&d2=2022-06-05&nelat=25.382121221097417&nelng=-80.61009460990776&order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&swlat=25.38145481369685&swlng=-80.61081478302826&user_id=joemdo
All of my blacklighting observations from tonight:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?captive=any&d1=2022-06-04&d2=2022-06-05&order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&user_id=joemdo
Here's a video showing the DJ blacklights in action at the Pinecrest campground (Big Cypress) from Summer 2019: https://youtu.be/tavmTa7WoPk
Info about the cheapy DJ blacklights used on the second and third sheet, great for getting started with blacklighting: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/damontighe/11836-diy-moth-light
Blacklighting project for Florida on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/blacklighting-florida
I met Jesse and Ellie soon after setting up the first sheet Old Ingraham Highway sheet and then Max, Michael and a couple of their friends after setting up the sheet near the opening of the Anhinga Trail.
I came out for some blacklighting after pre Tropical Storm Alex crossed Florida from the west, passing near Lake Okeechobee. South Florida was doused with rain, some places reported 10+ inches in Miami-Dade county. Most of the rain stopped in the early evening. There was light wind and a small shower that passed over while I was blacklighting. Moon was illuminated around 26%, temps in the mid to high 70's.
I set up three sheets in total and the one near the beginning of the Anhinga Trail was dominated by aquatic insects including toe biters and water scavenger beetles. This observation is from the third sheet described below.
1: Near the beginning of the Anhinga Trail, facing North, lit by a bioquip blacklight connected to battery with 12v outlet made for jumping car/inflating tires:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?captive=any&d1=2022-06-04&d2=2022-06-05&nelat=25.38251535211241&nelng=-80.60699945111232&order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&swlat=25.381848946886805&swlng=-80.60983454604106&user_id=joemdo
2: Close to the beginning of the Old Ingraham Highway trail close to Royal Palm Visitors Center. Lit by two DJ blacklights connected to USB battery pack:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?captive=any&d1=2022-06-04&d2=2022-06-05&nelat=25.382105242961273&nelng=-80.60959391640706&order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&swlat=25.38143883547254&swlng=-80.61031408952756&user_id=joemdo
3: Further down the Old Ingraham Highway, but still not very far down the trail. Lit by two DJ blacklights connected to USB battery pack:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?captive=any&d1=2022-06-04&d2=2022-06-05&nelat=25.382121221097417&nelng=-80.61009460990776&order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&swlat=25.38145481369685&swlng=-80.61081478302826&user_id=joemdo
All of my blacklighting observations from tonight:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?captive=any&d1=2022-06-04&d2=2022-06-05&order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&user_id=joemdo
Here's a video showing the DJ blacklights in action at the Pinecrest campground (Big Cypress) from Summer 2019: https://youtu.be/tavmTa7WoPk
Info about the cheapy DJ blacklights used on the second and third sheet, great for getting started with blacklighting: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/damontighe/11836-diy-moth-light
Blacklighting project for Florida on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/blacklighting-florida
I met Jesse and Ellie soon after setting up the first sheet Old Ingraham Highway sheet and then Max, Michael and a couple of their friends after setting up the sheet near the opening of the Anhinga Trail.