Notably, insects seem to only be attracted to artificial light sources. Theories that have flown around include that they are attracted to the heat of the source, or that they confuse the light source with the moon in an attempt to navigate. But why do insects actually gather by light sources?
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The problem researchers have had in studying the attraction of insects to light is simple: bugs fly really fast. In low-light conditions, this has made their movements hard to track, with everything instead appearing blurry.
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Insects may circle artificial light for a near suicidal length of time, depleting their energy reserves and increasing their vulnerability to predators. Moreover, if the light source comes from below, insects will flip upside down and subsequently crash into the floor.
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Further research is necessary to determine whether there are wavelengths that affect insects’ innate DLR less than others. Interestingly, there are species of nocturnal insects that don’t seem to be attracted to light at all; this too warrants further study.
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