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Why flying insects gather at artificial light

nature.com

71–80 of 183 posts

Re: Why flying insects gather at artificial light

#71
post #70

What about the color? I know it is slightly orthogonal, but the article says: "This is true even at night, especially at short wavelengths ( I always wondered: isn't there a light color that we human see and that minimizes the impact on the insects? Say if we only used red light in the cities, would it help?

Try different colors at your home!

Re: Why flying insects gather at artificial light

#72

So am I understanding correctly that this confirms the common perception they cited: > Insects use the moon as a celestial compass cue to navigate, and mistakenly use artificial light sources instead

I think a lot of the comments are also missing the fact that the moon is an unreliable means of navigation due it not always being present the whole night (or at all), changes brightness, moves around the sky and can be covered by cloud. It is unlikely then that insects would specifically evolve to use it as a means of navigation.

The paper states that it is the general brightness of the sky, even at night, compared to the ground that is the point of reference. So insect point top side at diffuse bright area and bottom side will be parallel to ground.

Re: Why flying insects gather at artificial light

#73
post #70

What about the color? I know it is slightly orthogonal, but the article says: "This is true even at night, especially at short wavelengths ( I always wondered: isn't there a light color that we human see and that minimizes the impact on the insects? Say if we only used red light in the cities, would it help?

Try different colors at your home!

Well I was hoping for something more scientific. I read a bit about that, and it seems like insects are more affected by smaller wavelengths (UV/blue rather than yellow/red) and some species polarized light.

But then if we know it, why don't we engineer the street lights to not attract insects?

Re: Why flying insects gather at artificial light

#74
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try different colors at your home!

Well I was hoping for something more scientific. I read a bit about that, and it seems like insects are more affected by smaller wavelengths (UV/blue rather than yellow/red) and some species polarized light. But then if we know it, why don't we engineer the street lights to not attract insects?

> Well I was hoping for something more scientific.

What is more scientific than testing the hypothesis yourself? That's science; that's its essential joy and spirit and nature.

    Have you reckon'd a thousand acres much? have you reckon'd the earth much?
    Have you practis'd so long to learn to read?
    Have you felt so proud to get at the meaning of poems?

    Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of all poems,
    You shall possess the good of the earth and sun, (there are millions of suns left,)
    You shall no longer take things at second or third hand, nor look through the eyes of the dead,
       nor feed on the spectres in books,
    You shall not look through my eyes either, nor take things from me,
    You shall listen to all sides and filter them from your self.
Someone else doing it is just reading.

:)

Re: Why flying insects gather at artificial light

#75
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well I was hoping for something more scientific. I read a bit about that, and it seems like insects are more affected by smaller wavelengths (UV/blue rather than yellow/red) and some species polarized light. But then if we know it, why don't we engineer the street lights to not attract insects?

> Well I was hoping for something more scientific. What is more scientific than testing the hypothesis yourself? That's science; that's its essential joy and spirit and nature. Have you reckon'd a thousand acres much? have you reckon'd the earth much? Have you practis'd so long to learn to read? Have you felt so proud to get at the meaning of poems? Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of…

The first step of any scientific study is a lit review, so reading is still science. :)

Re: Why flying insects gather at artificial light

#76

and how about moonless nights? or thick clouds? seems there should be alternative navigation ways..

There may be. I recall a documentary where they were studying homing pigeons. Placing magnets on the pigeons would throw off their navigation, but only on a cloudy day, suggesting that any magnetic navigation they have is redundant with solar navigation.

Re: Why flying insects gather at artificial light

#77
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well I was hoping for something more scientific. I read a bit about that, and it seems like insects are more affected by smaller wavelengths (UV/blue rather than yellow/red) and some species polarized light. But then if we know it, why don't we engineer the street lights to not attract insects?

> Well I was hoping for something more scientific. What is more scientific than testing the hypothesis yourself? That's science; that's its essential joy and spirit and nature. Have you reckon'd a thousand acres much? have you reckon'd the earth much? Have you practis'd so long to learn to read? Have you felt so proud to get at the meaning of poems? Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of…

> What is more scientific than testing the hypothesis yourself?

Professionals doing it? Who know how to do it properly better than laymen?

Re: Why flying insects gather at artificial light

#78
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Well I was hoping for something more scientific. What is more scientific than testing the hypothesis yourself? That's science; that's its essential joy and spirit and nature. Have you reckon'd a thousand acres much? have you reckon'd the earth much? Have you practis'd so long to learn to read? Have you felt so proud to get at the meaning of poems? Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of…

The first step of any scientific study is a lit review, so reading is still science. :)

humbug! boo hiss! Do you go to concerts and critique the scaffolding? :)

And that is not the first step. The first step is to have a curious thought, to seize on it, to rush out to test it. And only then, maybe, you do a lit review, do it more formally, and write it up.

I just was starting to eat Gumbalaya, and I paused. ... I remembered the leftover bit of gochujang chili oil in the fridge from a restaurant, the one I've been trying to find a use for. Surely no! Bayou creole with this already a bit-too-far Korean-Chinese fusion? I couldn't imagine it. And surely then, for science, I had to try ... (it was incredible, but could have been awful - no way to know without trying it). I suppose I should review lit and write it up ...

Re: Why flying insects gather at artificial light

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Well I was hoping for something more scientific. What is more scientific than testing the hypothesis yourself? That's science; that's its essential joy and spirit and nature. Have you reckon'd a thousand acres much? have you reckon'd the earth much? Have you practis'd so long to learn to read? Have you felt so proud to get at the meaning of poems? Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of…

> What is more scientific than testing the hypothesis yourself? Professionals doing it? Who know how to do it properly better than laymen?

With respect, that is the complete opposite of science! The only difference, the only barrier, between you and a 'scientist' is that someone else took that step to do it themselves. Tomorrow you could be a scientist - next time you have an idea!

You don't have to publish in Nature to be a scientist. Really, I mean that in the best way. I am a scientist every day. It's powerful, it's joyful, it's curious and exploratory (very important parts of your brain to work out, per research by professional scientists), it's extraordinarily practical: Science, by me, has reduced my energy consumption and bill by around (very roughly) 70%.

Re: Why flying insects gather at artificial light

#80
post #70

What about the color? I know it is slightly orthogonal, but the article says: "This is true even at night, especially at short wavelengths ( I always wondered: isn't there a light color that we human see and that minimizes the impact on the insects? Say if we only used red light in the cities, would it help?

My parents used to use these. I don’t recall if they worked, and I’ve not seen them in quite some time.

https://www.lightbulbs.com/blog/how-do-bug-lights-work

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