If moths like the light, why don't they come out in the daytime?

Answer 1

Nocturnal moths have evolved to use light from the stars and the moon as navigational aids at night while they forage for food. The way this is thought to work is that the moth keeps at a certain angle to the light by keeping it in a certain part of their vision. A moth has a compact eye, made up of thousands of individual ommatidia (tiny independent photoreception units that distinguish brightness and color). In essence all the moth would have to do is keep the light in one of these ommatidia to be able to navigate accurately.

Moths can distinguish between daytime and night-time, since the moth can detect the brightness of day over night in the same way we can, using signals from all of it's ommatidia (Nocturnal moths do not come out during the day potentially to avoid predators).

The reason that nocturnal moths are attracted to artificial light is due to an evolutionary side-effect. A moth's nervous system has evolved to use the light source of the moon and stars, which can be assumed by the animal as in the infinite distance. This means that when the animal moves, the angle between the animal and the light source does not change. This is not the case with nearby artificial lights: if the moth has used an acute angle (say 30 degrees) to use to navigate, it will have to readjust as it moves.This results in the moth spiraling towards the light.

Answer 2

i dont think moths "like" the light, its the fact that moths use the moon for navigation and the glow from light bulbs is like artificial moonlight to them so they follow it. If moths came out in the daytime they would most likely get eaten by some kind of predator. At least thats wat I think, i'm not exactly sure

Answer 3

Moths have APS Vision meaning during day the light will hit their eyes with the rays and this causes pain so they sleep at the day and come out at night.

Answer 4

maximum moths are nocturnal appearing at nightfall whilst there are much less preditors. Moths are theory to apply the sunshine of the moon to navigate their way by way of their habitat, they attempt to maintain the moon on one part on an identical time as they fly in a rather directly line if a synthetic gentle is of their direction, they get perplexed and then attempt to apply this to navigate by potential of...subsequently premiere to the moth flying around and around in ever-lowering cirlcles, till they attain the sunshine source and subsequently being zapped... appears like some adult men i comprehend coming abode from the pub!... lol ... save smiling Jen x

Answer 5

Moths like the FLAME, not the light--they gravitate toward the pinpoint of light that is also emitting heat that their darkness-adjusted vision leads them toward.

That's a candle (or computer screen) in the darkness, not sunlight.

Answer 6

They are drawn towards a focussed light -- a point of light in the dark -- by reactions to this of muscles on one side of their bodies.

Answer 7

You know what? Sounds like some people who have answered have really done their research. But blimey- that's a wicked question! I never thought of that before!! Sorry I have no answer but you certainly entrigued me with your question!!

Answer 8

They think it's a 24hr garage and are just after a packet of Rizzla.

Answer 9

I don't know the answer, sorry, but this is a good question!

Answer 10

they do in jamaica, and they are the size of birds.

its scary