Why Do Moths Have Light

Moths arent the most harmful pest you can find in your household but they can cause plenty of damage to clothes food and other belongings.

Why do moths have light. The moons position phase and visibility also have an effect and most explanations assume certain moths have evolved to use natural light for orientation by night. Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order lepidoptera that are not butterflies with moths making up the vast majority of the orderthere are thought to be approximately 160000 species of moth many of which have yet to be described. Its also possible that moths have an escape route mechanism related to light. A white light will attract more moths than a yellow light.

Somehow light confuses moths though it is unclear exactly why. Why do moths stay at lights. A common theory is that moths are attracted to the moon and therefore they should fly higher on moonlit nights. Some circle around others zigzag but they all seem to somehow be drawn to lights.

Insects that fly at night are attracted to. Why do moths one of many kinds of insects fly toward light. Its also possible that moths have an escape route mechanism related to light. Most species of moth are nocturnal but there are also crepuscular and diurnal species.

Imagine disturbing a bush full of moths at night they all fly up and out of the bush toward the sky. Insects that fly at night are attracted to. There have been a number of theories that try to explain this. A better theory is that moths can use the moon or stars to orientate and that a moth adjusts its flying track to keep the light source at a constant angle to the eye.

If you have allergies moths can be a nuisance to. A moths eyes like a humans eyes contain light sensors and adjust according to the amount of light the sensors detect. Yellow is a wavelength moths dont respond to. Some circle around others zigzag but they all seem to somehow be drawn to lights.

One old hypothesis involves moths partially navigating by maintaining an acute angle to the moon meaning they spiral towards a fixed artificial light. Most of the research on this matter is older and new technology would surely help to shed light on this question.