Glow worms and other nocturnal bugs have amazing abilities to navigate and survive in the dark. However, light pollution is making their lives more difficult. Humans, who are creatures of the day, often don’t realize the impact we have on these night-loving insects.
Our eyes are not good at seeing in the dark, so we have used fire and electricity to light up the night. But this artificial light is changing the environment for nocturnal insects. In fact, about 23% of the world’s land area is affected by light pollution, which is believed to be contributing to a decline in insect populations.
Research shows that around a third of insects attracted to artificial lights die by morning, often due to exhaustion. This could have serious effects on their populations and on important processes like pollination.
Many bugs are more active at night, probably to avoid predators that are active during the day. Some, like New Zealand glow worms, can even produce their own light.
Even though moonlight is a million times less intense than sunlight, nocturnal insects can still see and move around. They have special eyes made up of millions of tiny lenses that capture light and focus it onto photoreceptors.
Despite what some people think, nocturnal insects are not attracted to artificial lights because they mistake them for the moon or stars. In fact, they use moonlight and starlight to figure out which way is up when they’re flying.
The color of artificial lights can also affect how attractive they are to nocturnal insects. For example, moths can detect light wavelengths that are invisible to humans, and they are most sensitive to blue light. This means that the bright, cool white light produced by LED street lights can be very attractive to moths.
We can help protect nocturnal insects by reducing light pollution. Simple actions like closing curtains at night, using motion-activated outside lights, and choosing warmer colored light bulbs can make a big difference. Turning off lights and going outside can also help us appreciate the beauty of the night sky.
