I was thinking set up a bug zapper with the counting program on how many bugs are zapped but I want to take it a step further...Setting up a read out on it too like an LED thing or something
Maybe best idea would be to get an existing bug zapper and find a way to monitor the current going out on the high voltage leg, I imagine there will be a spike everytime a bug gets zapped
That was my plan for part one but then I want to display the number of spikes(bugs) on an led display
I imagine there will be a spike everytime a bug gets zapped
As per Winner defines that spike will get your Arduino to note that a bug has been zapped and then drive a LED Display to show counting.
Just look out for voltage and current levels of the spikes generated.
OH! you mean that the spike will do both at the same time?
If there is a spike in the level of input voltage or current that can be measured on ADC's/digital pin inputs and then simultaneously an LED display can be driven so show the count.
First you have to get a way to measure the bug zapping if its been noted then other things are quite easy.
I searched the forum, I haven't seen anything. Also I have to buy my uno still I'm just trying to figure out everything before hand I guess
This might seem dumb but about the aforementioned spikes, could they harm the board?
I have to buy my uno still I'm just trying to figure out everything before hand I guess
UNO is the best to own as a beginner ,so you can have it without thinking further ,you'll be glad to have it 
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Just look out for voltage and current levels of the spikes generated.
By this statement i mean;t that only to measure first from a mulitmeter how much severe the spikes are when a bug gets zapped the we an use voltage dividers to lower the voltage and/or zener spike shock level and capacitor to smoothen the current.
Ok. I really have a lot to learn about electronics! Thank you for the help!
You need to measure and monitor the current so the mont simple wpuld be a shunt resistor but that may be a hassle to get in series as well as potentially dangerous unless you do it low side
I was thinking more isolated monitoring with a hall effect sensor
Ive uses these before and they work good, only thing is depending on the actual current change you are getting you may want to loop it thru a couple times to magnify the reading to make it easiee on the arduino to tell differences
look up how to measure current both ways i said and see which would work for you
probably need to learn how bug-zappers work also. most commercial units have an oscillator to feed a doubbler/tripler type circuit to build up the voltage with a small current. doesn't take much power to 'zap' the bug. tapping into the oscillator output, rather than the high voltage output is probably a much better/safer idea.
as to counting zapped bugs... note that there will be more than one zap/spike per bug, as legs, wings, etc. are burned off during the zapping process. so, you need some sort of delay between setting counts to get a count of one for each series of zaps used to kill a single bug.
fascinating, if useless, project. have fun, but be very careful.
John123john:
Yeah, i agree that the best idea to take an existing zapper for example someone from here and make that, what do you want.
Is there a DIY of making these?