Good afternoon. We are having to make extensions to 50+ DOC250 trap boxes. My issue is whether it is better to put extensions on both ends of the box, so there is at least 290mm from the external mesh to the tread plate at either end. Or use a finer mesh at the end nearest the bait and lure.
If we went for a smaller matrix of mesh at that end, what/where can it be sourced please?
BrianB (Pirongia RestorationSociety)
Hi Brian
we have gone to using the 10 mm sq stainless mesh that Excluder sell in Rotorua, for everything both ends and internal mesh, it is a fairly heavy gauge and they sell it at a resonable price either by the metre or the roll
it is best to use stainless staples with the stainless mesh as you can get a reaction between galv and stainless, we brought one of the Ozito battery staplers so that we can use the longer 16mm staples
if you end up moving the trap and internal mesh getting the grooves in the sides correct can be a pain , you can get a little 100mm saw blade that goes on a grinder which will cut the groves just a bit fiddly
cheers
Dave
Hi Dave and thanks.
We are looking at boxes for DOC 250s. Haines Pallet make a box which they say is sized so as to prevent kiwi reaching the treadle plate.
My concern is at the other end of the box. The bait/lure is just a few cm. from the mesh and easy for a bird to get to. Do you know of a mesh that we could use to prevent their bird probing at that end, so we donāt need to have an extension at both ends?
Do you think a 10mm matrix would do the job? At Maungatautari, where I also volunteer, we have a 47km Excluder predator proof fence. The mesh for that has a 5mm matrix and each cell is about 5mm wide and 14mm high. Iām wondering if that would do the job.
Iām trying to get TrapNZ to email their posts to my Pirongia email address. brian.bowell@mtpirongia.org.nz At the moment I forward them from this address. Iāve lost your personal email address. Perhaps you could send it to me at the mtpirongia email address.
Hi Brian
Personally I think you are probably better off making your own trap Boxes then you can build them to what you want and if you want to add a bit more length or use better stainless mesh and better longer staples you can. A Ramp up to traps etc etc
Another worthwhile idea is to stake you boxes I use 325mm lengths of 25 mm angle iron with one 25 mm tek screw each side, make setting the boxes easier.
Fairly much every group has a couple of people who would like to be involved but are past being able to trek up hills checking traps, and in some cases they are the older blokes who have some hands on practical skills. If you donāt have any probably some around that you can recruit
I donāt think you will have any problem with the 10mm mesh
cheers
Hi Brian
I bought some Cyclone Aluminium Insect Screening, itās black, and comes in a 2M roll. Itās available from Mitre10 and Bunnings for around $25 a roll. I cut the pieces a little larger and folded over the edges so it doesnāt fray, it can be cut with scissors and folds easily. I stapled that over the larger mesh at the bait end of the trap and it keeps everything out while still being see through.
Hi Dave. We would probably build them but we have about 50+ already bought from HainesPallet. We did actually build 100 boxes for 2xDOC200 traps. A retired engineer made 100 kits, complete with fittings etc. and we cascaded building them down to volunteers - 10 per volunteer.
Iāve had several suggestions from sources inside and outside TrapNZ. The story continues.
NgÄ mihi.
BrianB
Hi jinxed. Thanks for this, Iāll take a look.
NgÄ mihi.
BrianB
Hi my main concern with using Insect screen would be how robust is it going to be in the field when possums etc start playing around with it cheers
Hi, Iāve used 304 grade stainless mesh that I got from Beequip. Itās got a 2.5mm mesh size and is really rigid. It is reasonably expensive compared to galv mesh but Iāve found it much more durable and should pay for itself over time
Hi Brian - a potential mod that we do here in Northland is drill a cirular hole on the side that is elevated in order to exclude hedgehogs and not have a front mesh entrance. The advantage is that its a nice and smooth entrance and keeps hogs out and keeping the focus on targeting ferrets and mustelids
Hi Dave. Iāve had the insect screen over the square mesh on my DOC200 and 250 boxes for a bit more than a year and have had no trouble with possums or any other animals damaging it in any way. Three of the boxes have trail cams monitoring them and Iāve seen possums sitting on the boxes and grooming themselves, rubbing their scent on the tops of the boxes and peeing on them, but never doing anything to the mesh on the ends.
Hi Rolf and thanks for this. So do you not use a mesh screen but a solid end with the hole cut in it?
BrianB.