Why are insects attracted to light?

Turn on your porch light after sunset, and you will be treated to an aerial display by dozens, if not hundreds, of bugs. Artificial lights attract moths, flies, crane flies, mayflies, beetles, and all sorts of other insects. You may even find frogs and other insect predators hanging around your porch at night, taking advantage of the easy picking.

Unfortunately for the insects, their attraction to artificial light is a cruel trick caused by our innovation moving faster than their evolution. Night flying insects evolved to navigate by the light of the moon. By keeping the moon's reflected light at a constant angle, insects can maintain a steady flight path and a straight course.

Artificial lights obscure the natural moonlight, making it hard for insects to find their way. Light bulbs appear brighter and radiate their light in multiple directions. Once an insect flies close enough to a light bulb, it attempts to navigate by way of the artificial light, rather than the moon.

Since the light bulb radiates light on all sides, the insect simply cannot keep the light source at a constant angle, as it does with the moon. It attempts to navigate a straight path but ends up caught in an endless spiral dance around the bulb.

Mercury vapour lights are extremely effective at attracting night-flying insects, which is why entomologists use them to observe and capture specimens. Unfortunately, street lights that use mercury vapour bulbs also do an exceptionally good job of attracting insects. Incandescent bulbs also prove confusing to night-flying insects, as do compact fluorescent bulbs. If you want to reduce the impact of your outdoor artificial lights on insects, opt for either warm colour LED bulbs or yellow bulbs marketed specifically for reducing insect attraction.

Credits: Sabitha

Comments

WHY ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEAN ARE NOT MIXED?

Nearly 72% of the earth is filled with water and it is present with different names- oceans, seas, rivers. Why are they named differently? There are five oceans namely Artic ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian ocean and Antarctic ocean . All the oceans are different in their physical and biological character called ocean clines. When we look at the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean junction, they do not mix. Is there any invisible Wall in between them? Many scientists have conducted research to solve this mystery. The Atlantic and Pacific Ocean have different chemical composition. The salinity of the water in the Atlantic Ocean is five times more than the Pacific Ocean. The density of water is also different, so even marine animals in Atlantic Ocean will not go to the Pacific Ocean. They cannot survive in other oceans. Atlantic and Pacific Ocean meet at Cape Horn. The narrow straight line formed by the water bodies is called Drake Strait. The Pacific Ocean is ...

The Chemical Lake

Spotted Lake or Lake khiluk in Canada is richly concentrated with various minerals. It contains dense deposits of magnesium sulfate, calcium, and sodium sulfates. It also contains high concentrations of eight other minerals and lower amounts of silver and titanium. Most of the water in the lake evaporates over the summer, revealing colorful mineral deposits. Large ‘spots’ on the lake appear and are colored according to the mineral composition and seasonal amount of precipitation. Magnesium sulfate, which crystallizes in the summer, is a major contributor to spot color. Originally known to the First Nations of the Okanagan Valley (Native American Tribe) as Khiluk, Spotted Lake was for centuries and remains revered as a sacred site thought to provide therapeutic waters. It is the most mineralized lake in the world. Each spot holds a different cure due to the unique chemical content found within each puddle. Lake Khiluk is considered a saline endorheic alkali lake. The Okanag...

Why some flowers bloom at night ?

Summer is known for its fields of wildflowers and flowering trees. All colours of pedals spread toward the sky. We have taken for granted that flowers bloom during the day, just like how summer is warm and grass grows. However, there are some flowers that defy the norm and do not go with the flow of following daylight hours. These flowers actually have a good reason for their particularly weird flower habits. The main purpose of flower blossoms is for the plant to spread their seeds. The flower attracts bees, the bees fly to another flower, and voila, the flower has spread its seeds. However, bees are not the only pollinators, even if they are the most famous. “7 Insect Pollinators that Arendt Bees or Butterflies”, moths, mosquitos, beetles, and even ants share the credit for helping flowers flourish. Most pollinators roam only in daylight, leading most flowers to open up when the sun is out to fit their pollinators’ schedule. But not all pollinators like t...

Home

Search This Blog