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UV light for nightime lichen hunting

  • 06 Apr 2026 11:13 AM
    Message # 13617535

    Hello everyone! I am looking to get a UV light for looking at lichens at night. Someone mentioned looking for one in the 350 nm range, and having a visible light filter. Does anyone have brand recommendations? My searches online have only brought back a lot of cheap junk (and overpriced junk). 


    Thanks everyone!

    Elise

  • 07 Apr 2026 8:58 AM
    Reply # 13617862 on 13617535

    I have a Darkbeam mini, costs about $10-12, it works great. I don’t know about the filter. I took mine to Belize and the trees light up like Christmas!


  • 07 Apr 2026 9:05 AM
    Reply # 13617868 on 13617535

    An article in California Lichen Society bulletin recommends

    uvBeast V3 365nm MINI, around $40. Alonefire SV 18 365nm around $35.   

  • 07 Apr 2026 8:46 PM
    Reply # 13618152 on 13617535

    You can track down the article mentioned by Steve here:

    https://www.californialichens.org/calsbulletin


    Volume 32(2): Winter 2025

    Notes on Alternate Tests for Atranorin and Usnic Acid and Using Longwave UV Lights to Determine Lichen Chemistry

    Authors: Jason Hollinger pellaea@gmail.com; Ken Kellman kkellman@sbcglobal.net

  • 08 Apr 2026 7:21 AM
    Reply # 13618282 on 13617535
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    I can vouch for the UV Beast. More expensive, but powerful, and the filter is definitely helpful in getting the colors you are supposed to get. But keep in mind that these are all long-wave UV, which work great for some lichen substances, not so much for others.

  • 08 Apr 2026 12:28 PM
    Reply # 13618462 on 13617535

    In addition to the two mentioned above in the CALS bulletin, I can also vouch for the Consciot U20, $12.39 on Amazon. It is bigger and heavier than those two, but still a small flashlight size 6" long and 1 1/4" diameter. It is also rechargable with USB-C.

    The visible light filter is critical to see the colors shown in the bulletin article. Those without the filter have a violet light that drowns out the fluorescence. 

  • 09 Apr 2026 9:27 AM
    Reply # 13618852 on 13617535

    Ken, please explain what you use for a filter.

  • 10 Apr 2026 1:08 PM
    Reply # 13619357 on 13617535

    The Consciot https://www.amazon.com/Consciot-Flashlight-Rechargeable-Ultraviolet-Blacklight/dp/B0CMHYCQH4 comes with a visible light filter already on the front glass
    Most of the time the visible light filter is not an attachment but comes built in.


    You can buy specific Uv pass visible light filters such as https://midopt.com/filters/bp365/
    but make sure that the peak of the pass through is around 356nm

  • 11 Apr 2026 11:22 PM
    Reply # 13619753 on 13617535

    For anyone who stumbles across this in the future looking for a UV light, I ended up going with the UV beast light that was mentioned in this thread!

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