It all began with a library book, our Firefly Nature School subscription, and our Wild Life camp kit. You see, everyone had the same idea.

Build a moth trap.

It’s actually the simplest thing in the world. You need a black light, a regular light, and a white sheet. Shine the lights on the sheet and watch the moths come.

That’s it.

We set ours up in front ofa window, with the black light inside and regular lights both inside and outside. Since we don’t have a conveniently located outdoor outlet, this seemed like the simplest location.

It took a bit before they showed up. But then they began showing up in droves. Not just moths, either. Beetles, leafhoppers, and other tiny creatures of the night landed on our sheet.

We spent some time learning about the insects that came to visit using a combination of field guides and inaturalist. The kids stayed up way past their bedtime (and we paid for it the next day), but it was a wonderful, memorable learning experience that we plan to repeat in future.

Have you ever set up a moth trap?