Like a moth drawn to a flame....

Discussion in 'Biology & Genetics' started by Xev, Nov 5, 2002.

  1. Xev Registered Senior Member

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    All the same...

    But why are bugs and insects attracted to lightbulbs, bug zappers, flames, etc? I read somewhere that it had to do with a neurochemical that the light triggers the production of.

    Anybody know?
     
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  3. pumpkinsaren'torange Registered Senior Member

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    it's all about an insect's ability (genetic, of course

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    ) to become attracted to or repelled by any given light source. and, of course a moth is attracted to light..not repelled (bed-bugs and carpet beetles are a good example of bugs that hurriedly scurry away from light ..those little buggers love the darkness...that's when they carry out all their little dastardly deeds.)

    that movement towards or away from light is called phototaxis, and, the moth is definitely one postively phototatic criter. the bugs of the evil dead are all negatively phototactic. of course.


    really, no one knows why they are so attracted to light...but, there's a lot of speculation.
     
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  5. paulsamuel Registered Senior Member

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    reply to pumpkinsaren'torange

    Wrong! It IS known why.

    From <http://www.pulseplanet.com/archive/Jul98/1673.html>

    'Why do moths fly around my light bulb on the porch?' And the explanation is: moths use the moon for navigation, when they're flying across the landscape. So they fly at a constant angle to moonlight, and the moonlight tends to come in parallel, because the moon is so far away. However, if you bring in something that looks like moonlight, like light bulbs, light coming from light bulbs, right down to them, they actually think they went past the moon, so they circle back, and then they circle again and then pretty soon they just keep going round in circles, and they go right around what they think is the moon, so they're very confused.

    It's one of those things that for millions of years the moon's been the only bright object in the sky until humans came around and invented light bulbs, electricity."
     
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  7. pumpkinsaren'torange Registered Senior Member

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    my, my...aren't you just a little silly...*tweeks Paul's cheek..NOT that one!)

    but, that really is still only a theory..
     
  8. Clockwood You Forgot Poland Registered Senior Member

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    If we had not evolved moths would have developed natural spaceflight in their quest to reach the moon.

    JKD
     
  9. pumpkinsaren'torange Registered Senior Member

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    actually, if we had not evolved AND invented the florescent/neon light...they themselves would have actually developed headlights. kinda like on a car...ya know??

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  10. Clockwood You Forgot Poland Registered Senior Member

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    Cockroaches would have developed rocket propulsion .... oh wait... they did anyway.

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  11. tartemis Registered Senior Member

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    so if mothes are navigating toward the moon what are the bugs of the dead navigating toward?
     
  12. On Radioactive Waves lost in the continuum Registered Senior Member

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    light effects humans melatonin cycle
     
  13. tartemis Registered Senior Member

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    so the bugs of the dead are after the melatonin that has stopped cycling?
     
  14. pumpkinsaren'torange Registered Senior Member

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    "bugs of the dead" ??? what the heck?? is that some new Wes Craven film, or something..

    what do you mean? i wanna know!!!!!!!!!
     
  15. Clockwood You Forgot Poland Registered Senior Member

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    BuGs Of ThE dEaD.... cReEpY
    tHeY wIlL eAt YoUr SoUl

    BwAhAhAhAhaH!!!
     
  16. tartemis Registered Senior Member

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    buggs that run from the light into darkness
     

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