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When choosing an Insect Net consider the following:

TWC of America has been manufacturing a variety of insect nets since 1986. We not only produce butterfly nets for our tweber and ento products lines, but we have also produced them for some of the largest retail chains and camping gear companies through the years as well.

We are serious about providing quality butterfly nets at a good value!

But one might ask, what is a quality butterfly net and how do you go about selecting an insect net that is right for you? This is a question that we are asked all of the time and like with many questions, the answer is: it really depends.

We find that our wholesale customer's selection criteria is often quite different from concerns that our individual consumer will have.

Some of the first considerations when selecting a butterfly net or insect net should be:

Who will be using it ?
What will it be used for ?
How long do you want it to last ?
...and
How much do you want to spend ?

Then you may want to think about what kinds of materials are used in making it, as this will often be a clue to how long your net will last before it ends up in the landfill and then how long it will be there before decomposing?

How Will It Be Used:

The functionality of an insect net is really a matter of it's hoop diameter, shape and stiffness, the handle length, the depth and shape of the net bag and the durability of the netting material (will it stand up). These features along with the overall weight of the net will help you to make the right choice in choosing the best insect net for your intended use.

In the entomology world, insect nets can typically be classified as one of three main types: Aerial, Sweeping or Aquatic.

Aerial Insect Nets:

This is the most common insect net and the one that most people think of when wanting to catch butterflies and other flying insects.

An aerial insect net generally has a larger diameter hoop than the others, its netting is soft yet strong and its hoop is ridged yet light weight and flexible. Its bag is often longer than the other two types and is shaped like a cone so that the captured insects are directed and concentrated into its pointed end for easy removal.

Insect Sweep Nets:
This net is used primarily by the agricultural industry to sweep or brush through various crops such as alfalfa to identify the type and quantity of insects that are feeding on their crops. This net is also used by entomologists to collect and study insects.

An insect sweep net is quite similar to an aerial net except it has a stiffer hoop material to prevent it from bending back when it comes into contact with the grasses or other material that is being swept. The netting or fabric material is much tougher to prevent snags and tears. The bag is again cone shaped and has an even heavier fabric covering the leading edge of the hoop to help prevent wear.

Aquatic Insect Nets:
An aquatic net, as the name implies, is used to collect insects living in the water. These nets are also often used to catch or dip out other water critters such as crayfish, minnows and shrimp.

The insect aquatic net has a shallower bag that often has a square bottom. This net also has a stiff hoop and one that can come in shapes other than round to allow it to skim bottom surfaces or reach into tight places.

Unlike most insect net manufacturers, we actually use and test our nets. When designing our nets we recognize that most of our customers are looking for a general purpose insect net and aren't interested in investing in a separate aerial insect net, sweep net and aquatic insect net. For this reason, although we do offer specialty nets, many of our nets are developed for the general, multiple purpose user, someone that collects insects in the air, field and water. When compared to much more expensive professional insect nets, the quality and design of our insect nets provide users of all ages with an excellent alternative at a significant cost savings.

Practice, Practice, Practice:

As with anything, the more you practice with a net, the more success you will have at catching insects. The technique for flying insects is to swoop your net and then to twist your wrist and handle once the insect is inside. This will flip or fold the bag over onto itself which will trap the insect inside, after which you can then lower the net to the ground. When first starting out, the tendency is to 'frantically' sweep the net through the air in an uncontrolled manner at such a high speed that the insect is often damaged or injured. As you practice, concentrate on gaining control and you will be amazed at how easy it becomes.

Caring for Your Net:

No insect net will last for ever, but with proper instruction on how to use your net and a little maintenance, you can extend its life. The most vulnerable area of the net for both damage and wear is the leading edge of the netting where it wraps around the hoop. For this reason avoid dragging your net against rough or hard surfaces like concrete and stones. This is particularly important when collecting insects in the water where there may be a lot of rocks. If you begin to see wear, apply some rubbery silicone type caulk over the hole and the surrounding netting to help prevent the tear from expanding.

For further information
Simply click here to view our online catalog of
Insect Nets

Exclusive Brands of TWC of America include:

*Quality Products since 1986*

** For Wholesale Inquiries call us at (920) 994-4195 m-f, 8-5 cst **
or Fax your orders to us at (920) 994-2411