Recent research utilizing high-speed tracking has explored the longstanding mystery of why insects are drawn to and circle around light sources at night. The study debunks previous theories, such as attraction to heat or mistaking artificial lights for celestial navigation cues, and introduces the dorsal light response as a key factor.
Sadly, centuries of witnessing what happens have produced little certainty about why it happens. How does a simple light change fast, precise navigators into helpless, flittering captives? We are researchers examiningMany old explanations for this hypnotic behavior have not fully panned out. An early notion was that the insects might be attracted to the heat of a flame.
Scientists used high-speed stereo motion capture to document how the presence of artificial light at night affects insects’ flight behavior. Credit: Samuel FabianTo examine this question in detail, we and our colleagues captured high-speed videos of insects around different light sources to precisely determine flight paths and body postures, both in the lab atRather, a broad swath of insects consistently pointed their backs toward the lights. This is a known behavior called the.
But pointing their backs toward nearby artificial lights alters their flight paths. Just as airplanes bank to turn, sometimes rolling until the ground seems nearly straight out your window, banking insects turn as well. When their backs orient to a nearby light, the resulting bank loops them around the light, circling but rarely colliding.
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