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ViewAttendees 8

10-Minute Paper

Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

SysEB: Conservation

Effects of light on insect activity times and flight speeds

Sunday, November 5, 2023
8:36 AM – 8:48 AM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Maryland D
In-Person

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Yash Sondhi

    Doctoral Student
    Florida Museum of Natural History
    Gainesville, Florida

    • Co-Author(s)

  • SF

    Samuel Fabian

    Imperial College London
    London, England, United Kingdom

  • RS

    Rachit Singh

    Florida Musuem of Natural History
    Gainesville, Florida

  • VM

    Veronica Muzio

    Florida International University
    Miami, Florida

  • NJ

    Nicolas Jo

    Florida International University
    Miami, Florida

  • PA

    Pablo Allen

    CIEE
    Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

  • JT

    Jamie Theobald

    Associate Professor
    Florida International University
    Miami, Florida

  • Akito Y. Kawahara, Ph.D.

    Director, Professor, and Curator
    Florida Museum Of Natural History
    Gainesville, Florida

  • Elina Barredo

    PhD Student
    Florida International University
    Miami, Florida

Artificial light can dramatically entrap night-flying insects into loops and crashes, but some effects are more subtle, for example, it can supress the nocturnal insect activity or disrupt mating and foraging. Insects may also be more susceptible to predation through reduced flight capabilities and increased visual salience. We present findings from multiple laboratory and field datasets that highlight broader trends of light on insect diel-activity and 3D flight patterns. We find that a range of insect taxa including flies, wasps, moths, and beetles show similar light entrapment effects at night and showcase 3D flight paths for these different taxa. Despite this, when we look at the effect of light on activity, reactions of different species to light vary. For example, fruit moths (Artena dotata) show much less activity disruption than tiger moths (Areas galactina). Light properties such as wavelength and intensity also play a role, with blue and white light disrupting and suppressing the activity of wax moths (Galleria melonella) more than red light. We highlight how open source and low cost tools for automated monitoring and 3D tracking can expand basic and applied entomology research.