My mothing non-setup: Two 50W halogen outdoor floods on our covered porch (12′ X 48′). About 90% of my moth photos are taken in the area under the floods. The other 10% are taken in various nooks and crannies in the same general area.
The $12.95 Wally World black light is a recent addition. I haven’t used it much and almost never without the floods also being on. (I don’t want to stumble over something and fall off the porch. It’s ten feet to the ground.) As far as I can tell, the UV light makes no difference.
I attribute the success of my super-minimal setup to the fact we live out in the boonies, surrounded by mixed hardwood and pine woods. There’s also quite a bit of unimproved pasture in our general area. The closest competing light source is about a mile away.
If I ever get around to it, I plan to add a sheet or some kind of cloth under the flood lights. That won’t help attract moths, but should improve the background of my photos. Until then, I’ll claim to own one of the most frequently photographed siding panels in the world. (Marvin Smith)