Reasons Why

Are Moths Attracted to Light?

A general question asked and studied by many with no generally accepted 100% correct or positive answer. From the 100′s of thousands of moth species on the platen earth, scientists such as entomologists and ecologists have discovered that light does not attract all kinds of moth, we always notice the ones that do but. The reasons why moths are attracted to light and tend to gather outside near the light-post and other lights during the evening and early morning are governed by their particular species, gender, the moons position, phase and visibility and time of night.

It is believed that male moths sometimes mistake candle heat and scent for female moths.

Are there any more reasons why some species of Moths are attracted to light? Not many – but results vary. Another ancient hypothesis is that moths navigate by maintaining acute angles towards the moon, in other words they spireal directly towards a fixed artificial light. Other times they head towards the sky’s natural light, escaping predators or before hight altitude voyages.

Not always considered a reason why moths are attracted to light but it’s quite possible: When a moth has landed near a light it does not remain there because it likes it, they most likely become blinded, disorientated and or confused by optical illusions that show safe darker areas near the light’s edge. The illusion effect they are would be seeing here is the same as if you stared at the sun (not advised by anyone) for a while and then closed your eyes or tried to look at something very large and completely black, this is most likely when they want to fly away but are seeing illusions which confuse the moths.