Why are moths nocturnal when they could be awake during the day to get more light?
In: Biology
Moths are nocturnal because they just…are. The same way many other species are diurnal (awake during the day), it’s just a biological and evolutionary trait that exists in the DNA.
Moths are not obsessed with light. They are confused by it. Being nocturnal, they use the moon as a point of reference to navigate the world. Given how far away the moon is and how slowly it orbits the earth, it is a fairly static point of reference. When that light source is much closer, like…say…your porch light, it makes their navigational instincts go haywire. Hence why they swarm lights. It confuses the shit out of them and they don’t know what to do.
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