Moths to a Flame: a lesson learned, hopefully
By Veronica MacDonald
An Accidental Anthropologist
On a summer night, there is a little ritual I like to do when I come home called, “How do I get through the door without inviting a thousand moths into the house?” It has become a rather stylized dance actually. But it is not that successful. The problem is they are so little and quick, while I am big and clumsy. And I need the overhead light to get the key into the door.
But the light is the whole reason that they are there. Just what is it about bright lights that attract moths? Or what draws a moth to the flame, as the old saying goes? If you were to think in evolutionary terms, there must be a reason necessary for survival – perhaps a large firefly to feed on? Or could it be the anticipation of eating wool?
Maybe a bright light at night is so unnatural that they are mesmerized by it. How many moths have lived out every last breath just to be by the light? They die for it. You discover their little dead bodies when you change the light bulb. Like deer caught in headlights, light can mean a swift death. But the moths seem to care less.
It is like all those movies where aliens come to earth in large spaceships. People just stand outside, staring at the UFOs. I don’t know about you, but once the shock wore off, I would probably start running in the opposite direction.
Perhaps light provides some warmth. However human bodies are pretty warm, and I’ve never had a moth snuggle up to me. No, they just erratically fly around my head or the nearest light.
Some scientists claim that moths navigate by maintaining a constant angular relationship to the moon or other celestial beings. But artificial lights really throw them off because as they fly closer, their angle to the light changes more dramatically, totally screwing up their flight path. And somehow they end up going right into the light.
You would think that since man discovered fire, moths would have adapted in some evolutionary way. They’ve had a really long time to learn this lesson. Perhaps the next time you find yourself in this situation, take out a ready-make poster of the moon with a large arrow pointing up to help them out. The poor dears are very slow learners.