Pepper Paints

Calling all Moths

I am a bug lover, much to my son’s dismay!  Although I am pretty sure Ginger has my bug gene-just ask her friend Maya, she will attest to it! We recently checked a really cool moth book out of the library, NIGHT VISIONS THE SECRET DESIGN OF MOTHS by J. Scheer.  Really beautiful pictures.  I was hoping to attract some of these beauties to our yard!

Yesterday we made a concoction to entice moths to come and drink from our tree trunk pub. A  few years ago we tried this with the Moth Broth recipe from Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots, but I didn’t have a copy on hand.  So we used the Mother Earth News recipe.

3-6 over ripe bananas

1/2-1 c molasses, honey or corn syrup

1-2 cups orange juice or other fruit juice

1 or 2 bottles stale beer

1-2 oz rum (I had to skip this as my I was out out rum-go figure!)

mash bananas, stir in sugars, add rest a little at a time.  It should be as thick as house paint.  If too thin add another banana.  Cover and let ferment in the sun for a few hours.

Pick a tree near a clearing and paint at least an 8 inch square of said concoction onto tree bark a few hours before sunset.  Hint-use a bigger paint brush than us!  We used a tree near our outside light, I thought that might be like a double bait!

Go back at night and check to see who came a callin’!  The magazine suggests around 3 AM.

Now this is where I failed.  We checked around midnight and there were a couple of common moths catching a buzz but then we all fell asleep. There may be too much light pollution near our house to attract most of the moths in the book but I was hoping for something a little more impressive.   We are going to camp at a near by camp ground tonight.  I am bringing the left overs with us to try again.  I will update if there is good news!

Tags: friend, Ginger, Paint, pictures, recipe