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light trap
noun
1
: a device that allows movement of a sliding part or passage of a person (as into a darkroom) but excludes light
2
: a device for collecting or destroying insects that consists of a bright light in association with a trapping or killing medium
Examples of light trap in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Alternatively, insect light traps or sticky traps can help capture and remove beetles.
—Marie Woodward, Hartford Courant, 9 Nov. 2024
Ohio State University Extension has a simple design for light traps, which may be handy for those who could never hurt a bug.
—Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 31 Oct. 2024
Build or buy a light trap to attract ladybugs using an LED, blue or UV light.
—Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2024
But a microphone simply listens, a camera trap quietly watches for movement and snaps a picture, and a light trap silently attracts insects.
—WIRED, 17 Oct. 2023
For those who prioritize safety, a light trap like DynaTrap Flylight Indoor Insect Trap will be the best fit.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Oct. 2023
Sound recorder and automatic light trap for recording voices and night insects.
—WIRED, 17 Oct. 2023
While this team harvested DNA directly from insects caught in light traps, others may collect environmental DNA, or eDNA, that animals leave behind in soil, air, and water.
—WIRED, 17 Oct. 2023
To make the light traps, scientists shine a laser through a lens above a chamber containing neutral atoms.
—Katherine Wright, Scientific American, 28 Sep. 2023
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Word History
First Known Use
1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near light trap
Cite this Entry
“Light trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/light%20trap. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
light trap
noun
: a device for collecting or destroying insects by attracting them to a light and trapping or killing them
More from Merriam-Webster on light trap
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about light trap
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