When insects encounter these light beams, they constantly correct their angle of flight which causes them to spiral ever-inward to the source. However, beams of light from a nearby security light, campfire, or flashlight are still diverging from their source. By flying at a fixed angle to these beams, nocturnal insects maintain a straight course. When light from these sources arrives at earth their light beams are parallel. Why are moths and other insects attracted to lights? Some scientists believe that night flying insects use light sources from distant stars and the moon to orient their flight. These nocturnal peregrinations often place them in highly visible locations on the side of a building or the ground nearby in the morning where they are easily spotted by hungry birds or trampled by unsympathetic feet. As the old adage says, “attracted like moths to a flame” - Luna moths and their silk moth cousins are regularly lured to the bright security lights illuminating buildings. Most moths take flight at night in search of mates, food, or places to lay eggs. While many of the insects visited in Bug of the Week are found in more natural settings, it is not unusual to find large silk moths like Royal Walnut moths, Polyphemus moths, or Luna moths either on or near man-made structures such as schools, churches, or warehouses. While visiting a day care center, a teacher directed my attention to a gorgeous moth that had crashed on the sidewalk just outside the entry to the center. One morning last week good fortune smiled on me in the form of a handsome male Luna moth.
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