Mystery solved? Study reveals reason behind insects' attraction to artificial light

In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers have unveiled the long-sought answer to the age-old question - why are insects drawn to artificial light? A team of scientists from Imperial College London and the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the Florida Museum of Natural History may have cracked the code.

According to co-lead author Samuel Fabian, the mystery lies in the way artificial light scrambles insects' ability to orient themselves in space. Fabian explained, “What we’re bringing here is just linking this behaviour to an insect behaviour that was considered a puzzle until now.”

The prevailing theories over the years speculated that insects were either mistaking lights for celestial bodies or trying to warm themselves with the emitted heat. However, the new findings disprove these notions and come up with another theory.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Also Read |Astronaut aboard ISS posts photo which might give you 'OCD'

Co-lead author Yash Sondhi reportedly said, “It’s not a light attraction issue but an orientation issue.” The research team conducted experiments using high-speed infrared cameras in an insect flight arena and ventured into the Costa Rican jungle for field observations.

The results showed that insects did not fly directly towards the light but circled it while attempting to align their backs with the artificial source - a behaviour termed as a "dorsal light response."

Also Read |Human skeletons with buckets on feet, rings around necks provide glimpse into Dark Ages

The study's revelations have garneredinterest, with Florian Altermatt, an ecologist at the University of Zurich, calling it a "satisfying answer to a long-standing phenomenon."

Watch |NASA finally unlocks a canister containing precious dust samples from the asteroid Bennu

Despite the breakthrough, the research uncovered two exceptions - oleander hawk moths and Drosophila fruit flies - which flew normally in the presence of light. Fabian noted, “We’d like to pick apart some of these exceptions in future research.”

(With inputs from agencies)