What is this behavior due to? Why do moths go towards the light? Humans may have something to do with it. Moths have been at our side for millennia. During this time, they might have learned to turn their heads toward the brightest direction. The Moon and the stars were the main sources of light, before. This way they maintained level flight by finding their way up.
Decrease in moths
Moths can get caught in the light instead of being attracted to it. This is said by a recent study published in the scientific journal Nature Connections. With the use of artificial lighting, moths began to lean their backs toward streetlights at night. This caused them to form uninterrupted loops around the light emitted by them. It is due to their evolutionary instincts mastered over millions of years.
Dr. Sam Fabian and his team at Imperial College London used high-resolution imaging and video to observe them. They saw that moths and dragonflies turn their backs on light sources.
«If the light is above them, they can start orbiting it. But if it is behind them, they start to lean back and this can cause them to go up and up until they stall. More dramatic is when they fly directly over a light. They turn upside down and this can cause falls. “The moth is confused about which way up is,” Fabian reported to the British newspaper Guardian.
Mortal trap
The study is the first to demonstrate this behavior of nocturnal insects. Explain why moths go towards the light. Light pollution is a major reason why the number of insects has decreased recently. Moths get trapped in the lights, becoming quick food for, among other creatures, bats. Artificial light can also trick moths into thinking it's daytime.
The direction of light must be taken into account when planning and installing outdoor lighting. It is advisable to avoid an upward direction of light, as these are the most harmful to insects.
