light trap

noun

|Updated on: 1 Jul 2018

Definition of light trap

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

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Recent Examples of light trap from the Web

To explore any magnetic sense bogongs might possess Dr Dreyer and Dr Warrant used light traps to capture hundreds of the moths during their migrations over the course of two seasons.

— The Economist, "The first clear evidence of a sense of magnetism in insects," 21 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'light trap.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.