Moths Aren't Drawn To Light/Effects of Light Pollution

[Mojochi]

So apparently, we've been thinking about this phenomenon all wrong. Moths & bugs etc... aren't actually being attracted to light. Most flying insects are instinctually driven to orient themselves with their backs to the sun or moon, as a means to properly direct their flight. Artificial light sources disrupt that instinct, causing them to reorient themselves in such a way as to unintentionally force them to orbit it, as if it were the proper orientation that would emanate from natural light. Basically, they can't help but angle their dorsal sides toward it.

As such, the worst types of artificial light for them are ones that are oppositely oriented, emanating from the ground up, because it completely reverses their normal orientation. We are essentially confusing their instinct to use natural light to navigate, and trapping them in an uncontrollable & inescapable torment.

I'd even be concerned that this could, in itself, have negative effects on pollinators, which we do a lot to interfere with.

 

[publiusr]

They are looking at alternatives at least:
https://phys.org/news/2024-02-asexual-propagation-crop-closer.amp.

Mosquitoes I could do without…but I think fish eat their larvae…

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, beyond astronomy, most people don't realize how serious light pollution really is, and how it can affect the ecosystem. It's a difficult thing to communicate, because a majority of people will just see light and think big deal, it's just light, and that's because we've grown so accustomed to having light be everywhere. And it's hard to convince local governments to do the right thing. The conversion to LED lighting has only made the situation worse, because while the lighting is cheaper, they've doubled-down on the amount of lights, which is the opposite of what the conversion was supposed to do!

All this contributing to changes in nocturnal rythmn, not only in animals, but in people too.

 

[publiusr]

Near Earth Objects will doubtless get lost among megaconstellations.

When I try to advocate fewer larger orbital antenna farms on the web—I get my head bitten off.