Why are moths attracted to light?
Quick Answer
Recent research suggests moths are not drawn to light itself but instinctively turn their backs toward it, which traps them.
The Full Story
An old theory said moths navigate by keeping the Moon at a fixed angle and get confused by nearby lamps. A 2024 study published in Nature Communications, using high-speed infrared cameras, found a different explanation: flying insects instinctively tilt their backs toward the brightest light, because in nature the brightest part of the sky is up. Around an artificial light, this “dorsal light response” makes them bank, circle and stall rather than fly toward the lamp deliberately. Light pollution is a serious threat to insects, disrupting feeding, mating and pollination. Warm-coloured and shielded lights attract fewer insects.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Moths aren’t attracted to lamps — they’re trapped by them"