Morgan
International Hazard
Posts: 1660
Registered: 28-12-2010
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Light pollution - not just the bane of astronomers and sea turtles
Seems like whenever we alter the environment, society is slow to consider the side effects.
"Some estimates suggest that one third of insects attracted to stationary artificial light sources die before morning, either through exhaustion or
predation (Eisenbeis, 2006; Frank, 2006; Yoon et al., 2010); insects attracted to vehicle headlights likely die immediately (Frank, 2006; Gaston and
Holt, 2018). This “fatal attraction” has been estimated to result in 100 billion insect deaths per summer in Germany (Eisenbeis and Hänel 2009)
and had the potential to swiftly eliminate isolated populations of Hydraecia petasitis moths in Finland (Väisänen and Hublin, 1983; see also Cantelo
et al., 1972). Insects that escape immediate death may still become trapped in a “light sink,” unable to engage in behaviors vital to fitness (van
Langevelde et al.,"
Light pollution is a driver of insect declines
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000632071...
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wg48temp9
National Hazard
Posts: 761
Registered: 30-12-2018
Location: not so United Kingdom
Member Is Offline
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In Florida some tree frogs use locations near or on street lights, window lights or light signage to pick off the attracted flying insects.
In Texas I have seen fireflies flashing at my car head lights. I thought it was rain or snow at first.
In the UK I see bats buzzing round street lights when there on. I assume there catching insects.
Apparently the street light also confuse birds as you can hear them chirping their morning songs at night.
I wounder if anyone has done a study to see how the lights have effected the behavior of insects and animals. If hedgehogs don't hurry up and evolve
to run from car head lights the will soon be extinct.
Its crazy round here. The street lights are on all night. They replaced the sodium lights with LEDs but did not change the on off control. Though I am
in favour of streets lights going off during part of the night many if not most people think its safer to have them on all night.
I am wg48 but not on my usual pc hence the temp handle.
Thank goodness for Fleming and the fungi.
Old codger' lives matters, wear a mask and help save them.
Be aware of demagoguery, keep your frontal lobes fully engaged.
I don't know who invented mRNA vaccines but they should get a fancy medal and I hope they made a shed load of money from it.
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