Does the moon influence insect behavior?

Does the phases of the moon, especially the full moon, exert influence on insect activities?

It is a common observation that flying insects gather around street lamps, especially during summer nights. This locomotory movement in response to the stimulus of light is called phototaxis. Natural attraction to light is called positive phototaxis as exhibited by flies, moths and other flying insects. In contrast, negative phototaxis means the organisms are repelled by exposure to light like cockroaches and overwintering ladybeetles. Many theories had been posed to explain the responses of insects to light but no single scientific explanation suffice.

In a number of scientific investigations, it was shown that the phototactic behavior of some insects is also affected by moon phases as evidenced by significantly lower light trap catches around full moon. Attraction response of insects to light traps is lowest during full moon and highest during new moon simply because the brightness of the full moon competes with the light source. This only proves that full moon has a strong attraction to positively phototactic insects.

An example of insect that has strong attraction to light and whose attack to crops is always associated with full moon is Scotinophara spp. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) or the rice black bug (RBB). They love to fly during full moon and they fly in great numbers causing significant economic loss to farms they choose to settle in. In fact, a light trapping effort from three days before to three days after the full moon in Calamba, Laguna, Philippines yielded 25 sacks of RBB weighing 15 kilos each. Manufacturing facilities also pay attention to this phenomenon to avoid RBB contamination of their products. Biting activity of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) is also known to increase during full moon (documented in studies like this one in Trinidad).

With the super moon tonight, March 19, 2011, wherein the moon will be in its closest approach to earth and estimated to be 14% bigger and 30% brighter, what do you think are the events awaiting the insect world? While geologists, seismologists and other scientists are busy debunking the relationship of super moon to earthquakes, tsunami and other natural disasters, will entomologists be busy documenting and analyzing noteworthy entomological phenomena related to super moon? Let’s wait and see…for now let’s understand super moon and how it happens through this video from NASA.

by J. de Leon – Facundo

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Tagged with: behavior • bug • Culicidae • Diptera • Hemiptera • Insecta • moon • mosquito • nocturnal • Pentatomidae • video

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