{"id":3536,"date":"2021-03-04T16:50:45","date_gmt":"2021-03-04T16:50:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keepingbugs.com\/?p=3536"},"modified":"2022-07-27T16:49:19","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T16:49:19","slug":"buzzing-lights-why-are-flying-bugs-attracted-to-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keepingbugs.com\/buzzing-lights-why-are-flying-bugs-attracted-to-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Buzzing Lights: Why Are Flying Bugs Attracted To Light?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Summer eves, the last warmth of the day, slowly it gets darker, reading a nice book… and tens or hundreds of bugs murmuring around the lights. Especially in the summer months, many bugs seem to be attracted to the light, flying continuously around it in neverending circles. So why is it that bugs seem to be so attracted to lanterns and porch lights?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many bugs use a natural light source to navigate and orientate, and artificial light sources disorient them where they are attracted towards the light. However, scientists still not have been able to prove this theory. Other theories are that bugs use light to locate food sources or that light is often seen as a heat source for cooler nights. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are bugs driving you crazy sometimes when you are sitting under a porch light? Ever since we invented artificial light, we know it attracts many types of bugs. We even used this knowledge to develop insect lamps to exterminate flying bugs like flies and mosquitos. But why are bugs so attracted to light? Let’s have a closer look. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why are night insects attracted to light? Different theories explained<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although we know for many decades that artificial lights attract all kinds of strange bugs at night, we still do not fully understand why this is the case. However, scientists have come up with a few theories about why bugs behave this way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Light as navigation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most popular and believed theory is that bugs use natural light sources to orient themselves and navigate their movements. Even when it is dark, there are always some lights, like the stars and the moon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They believe that bugs use the sun, moon or stars to navigate their movements, similar to how sailors used to navigate by the position of the stars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By keeping the angle of its body the same towards the moon’s position, a bug can orientate and navigate itself without flying continuously in circles. However, with an artificial light source, a bug can easily become confused and disorientated, resulting in continue circular flights around the light source. <\/p>\n\n\n\n