Using high-speed cameras and motion capture technology, scientists from Florida International University and Imperial College London carefully tracked the insects’ flight paths both in the laboratory and in the forests of Costa Rica. The results of the study showed that insects do not seek artificial light. Instead, when they encounter a bright light source, their innate orientation mechanisms are disrupted, causing disorientation that resembles vertigo.
The researchers found that during flight, insects rely on the natural contrast between the sky and the ground to maintain the sense of ascent and descent. However, when the artificial light source becomes brighter than the surrounding environment, the insects mistakenly reorient themselves so that the light is behind them, eventually circling the light source. This repeated reorientation eventually leads to disorientation and erratic flight, causing the insects to crash into the light source.
The researchers’ next steps include examining potential differences in how cold and warm light affect insects and investigating ways to reduce the negative effects of artificial light on insect populations.
Source: Ferra
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