UV LEDs enable DIY pest control
I’d heard of high-brightness LEDs (HB LEDs) in the ultra-violet light range being used in therapeutic applications such as bilirubin blankets for treating jaundiced babies. I found out another use for them over the weekend – tracking rats and scorpions.
You may have noticed how black lights at parties show up all kinds of gross stains on white fabric – pretty much any fluid secreted by an animal will glow under UV lights, even after washing. Well, rat urine/scent fluoresces under black light, and provides an excellent way to find rat trails. Sadly, Chez Conner has roof rats, and it’s time to put out rat bait. Rats are evidently creatures of habit and don’t stray far from their rat trails, so finding these trails with a black light is a good way to determine where to place the bait.
Here’s a photo of rat traces under UV light on a toolbox from the website Rat Sensory World:
Back in the olden days UV lights were generally ac-powered. UV HB LEDs enable handy flashlights for tracking rats – or scorpions. Here’s a Scorpion Hunter Urine Tracker LED Flashlight.
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