【Independent Study】Challenge to collect beetles with a trap made of bananas and shochu! This will ensure your summer homework is perfect

The handmade trap secretly set up with my son only used bananas and shochu as materials. We set it in a bamboo grove and went to check on it with the family at night. Would we really catch beetles!?

Can you really catch beetles with bananas and shochu?

I had somehow heard about it since I was a child, but I had never actually set a trap with my own hands to confirm it. This summer vacation, I decided to seriously confront that simple question.

The materials are just bananas and shochu, a recipe so simple it's almost anticlimactic. I was half in doubt, but if it works, it should be an unforgettable summer for my son.

In the evening, my son and I started our strategy meeting in the kitchen. When I told him, "Tonight, we're secretly making a beetle trap," he helped me with shining eyes. All we prepared were four things: bananas, shochu, a bowl, and stockings to wrap the bait.

First, I put some slightly mashed bananas into the bowl. I made sure not to mash them too much, leaving the peel on.

Then I poured about a cup of shochu over it, and a sweet smell wafted through the kitchen. I had heard that adding a small amount of cola as a secret ingredient would further promote fermentation, but this time I’ll challenge it simply with just bananas and shochu.

I'm pouring bananas and shochu directly into a stocking. Since the stockings have a fine mesh, they seem to keep the juice while preventing the fruit pulp from leaking out, making them convenient for tying to the tree.

My son, looking somewhat doubtful, asked, "Will the beetles really come with this?" but the preparation is complete as we put it in a sealed bag.

At night, we set out for the bamboo grove with flashlights.

Around 7 PM, it was completely dark outside, so we set off. I gave each of the children a flashlight and thoroughly sprayed them with bug repellent. At the entrance, we also lit mosquito coils, ensuring we are well-prepared to prevent insect bites.

We headed to set up the trap in the bamboo grove, a place we've walked through several times before. The trees are dense, and the rich scent of damp earth has always given this place a vibe that suggested, "There should be beetles here." However, since I had never actually seen a beetle, I came with a feeling like I was going to conduct an experiment.

At night, the atmosphere in the bamboo grove is completely different. Relying only on the circle of light from the flashlight, I found myself instinctively tensing up at the sound of bamboo leaves rustling in the wind as I located the target tree, tied the stockings in an X shape around the trunk, and set them up so that bananas peeked out from both ends.

The feeling of the moisture-absorbed stocking clinging to the tree's surface transferred directly to my bare hands. "Will beetles really come with this?" I thought half in disbelief as I returned home for a while.

It was too early, an unexpected big harvest.

My son could hardly contain his excitement. We were actually planning to check it at midnight, but just one hour after setting the trap, we decided to go and take a look again. When we arrived, something was already in the trap.

As I walked along the irrigation ditch, shining the flashlight, the moment I pointed it at the target tree, I saw a small shadow moving between the bark. It was a beetle. I reacted with a louder gasp than my son at this result coming way earlier than expected.

What was even more interesting was that even on trees where we hadn’t set traps, we could find various insects appearing one after another. I never expected to encounter them so soon.

After wandering around the night bamboo forest for about an hour, I discovered various insects such as rhinoceros beetles, stag beetles, and spiders clinging to the trunks, independent of the traps' success.

Ultimately, I was able to capture about ten insects that night alone. Rather than a reward for setting the traps, the night bamboo forest itself might have been the insects' habitat.

Early in the morning, I checked the traps again,

and when I checked again at 6 AM the next morning, the results were unexpectedly lively. The traps looked different in the clear morning air, away from the tension of the night. The rhinoceros beetles clinging to the bananas with their faces buried looked more vivid and proud than when I had seen them at night.

I thoroughly collected the stockings and remaining bananas that morning, ensuring nothing was left on the trees before leaving the bamboo forest.

Memories of a fun summer vacation with family.

The setup of the trap was a secret operation just between my son and me, but when it came to searching for beetles, the whole family naturally got involved. I feel that walking in the darkness with a flashlight in hand was a unique experience not found in our everyday lives. Although we didn't know whether we would catch anything, whether we did or didn't, that night became a wonderful memory.

Because it's easy to try with accessible materials like bananas, shochu, and stockings, I encourage anyone who wants to create memories this summer to give it a go.

Interview & Text / SYURI

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