The Reason Why, Insects Are Attracted , to Artificial Light.
Gizmodo reports that
researchers believe they finally know
why insects seem to be drawn to lights.
New data suggests that bugs
are not attracted to the light,
as is commonly believed.
Rather, researchers now believe that
based on insects' use of light sources to
orient flight, artificial lights disorient bugs.
The team's findings were published
in the journal 'Nature Communications.'.
This has been a prehistorical
question. In the earliest writings,
people were noticing this around fire. , Jamie Theobald, Biologist at Florida International
University and co-author of the study, via Gizmodo.
It turns out all our
speculations about why it
happens have been wrong, Jamie Theobald, Biologist at Florida International
University and co-author of the study, via Gizmodo.
Researchers note that insects'
"seemingly erratic" flying patterns
are really their failed attempts
to understand the artificial light. .
Rather than steering toward the light, bugs were
seen turning their dorsum, or their backs,
toward the light, attempting to steer by it.
Under natural sky light, tilting
the dorsum towards the brightest
visual hemisphere helps maintain
proper flight attitude and control, Study authors, via Gizmodo.
Near artificial sources,
however, this highly conserved
dorsal-light-response can produce
continuous steering around
the light and trap an insect, Study authors, via Gizmodo