Why are insects attracted to light? "turns out nobody knows for sure" Great.

@happyh0ur888

5 жыл бұрын

Almost stopped watching there.

@realstory2942

4 жыл бұрын

Lol

@kentonrobinson5330

4 жыл бұрын

This guy is useless.

@kris242

3 жыл бұрын

@@kentonrobinson5330 lmao aight that’s a bit of a stretch there. Science has never been about simply sticking with concrete facts. It’s about exploring possibilities and trying to figure out why they are the way they are. When science hits a wall, there’s no crying and giving up. There’s simply analyzing the mistake and going further from what you’ve learned from it. This dude at least gives some pretty great theories for something we as humans haven’t nailed down yet. To consider that “useless” is simply ignoring the progress of science which is kind of why we have so many ignorant people and conspiracy theorists in general in the first place.

@godofgamerzindian

2 жыл бұрын

@@kris242 I think he was joking

You know when it's hot at night so you open the window and every living insect within a mile flies into your room? Yeah, fucking hate that

@mijessieli

8 жыл бұрын

You have a screen thingy right?

@SuperNova-rb4fo

8 жыл бұрын

Some are smaller than the screen

@DuckBoy-gy6sg

8 жыл бұрын

Same happens when I turn on my pool light.

@thefoodcan

8 жыл бұрын

i was fishing and no light on me and fucking nats were all over me it was a fucking annoying

@gregistopal

8 жыл бұрын

This is why I have one of those bug zappers outside my window all night bzzt bzzt zap zap zap

May I acquire some lämp

@AdaSoom

5 жыл бұрын

Yes bröther

@pyro1550

5 жыл бұрын

silent no bröther

@genghiskhan4697

5 жыл бұрын

Anytime bröther

@SILENT-rk7gg

5 жыл бұрын

silent wassup with the name tho

@Pieruh

5 жыл бұрын

@@SILENT-rk7gg Im you but weaker

It's their religion. All hail light.

@nicodemusedwards6931

8 жыл бұрын

Praise the Sun.

@romperstompist

8 жыл бұрын

Praise the sun!

@dogedoge4547

8 жыл бұрын

May the light lead us to the Promised Land!

@wertywerty6

7 жыл бұрын

Aptem Dark Souls reference here???

@BrokenThirdsMusic

7 жыл бұрын

The lord of light! #got

Let me get uhhhhhhhh L A R G E L A M P here because of memes

@Victor-mi2py

5 жыл бұрын

SencilloCb9 same

I'm here from those damn moth memes

@butt.chungus4710

5 жыл бұрын

Give me lämp

@thetboys9809

5 жыл бұрын

päss thë lämp bröther

@mercuryblack

5 жыл бұрын

Lämp

@brosephstalin7369

5 жыл бұрын

*L Ä M P*

@Victor-mi2py

5 жыл бұрын

saaaame

Another addition in the long line of "things you think would have easy answers and have a certainty about them."

A man in a movie theater notices what looks like a moth sitting next to him. "Are you a moth?" asked the man, surprised. "Yes." Said the moth "Well what are you doing at the movies?" The moth replied, "Well, I really liked the book so..."

@Digging4AnswersOfficial

8 жыл бұрын

I don't get it

@TorquemadaTwist

8 жыл бұрын

Was the movie Godzilla?

@aericwinter

8 жыл бұрын

Actually, moths themselves don't feed feed on paper and clothes. It's only their larvae that do.

@Dregoro

8 жыл бұрын

( I actually laugh ;) )

I feel nothing when a mosquito hits a bug zapper; because I'm always getting eaten alive by the little s- -hits.

@natttomes4588

8 жыл бұрын

you monster (:

@mrcaboosevg6089

8 жыл бұрын

I don't feel bad because they're mosquitoes and fuck mosquitoes

@MidWitPride

8 жыл бұрын

I feel nothing, because they are dumb insects incapable of higher thought. My liver has a higher IQ than insects have, and i don't care about my liver's well being either.

@leonelc29

8 жыл бұрын

you get eaten alive by mosquito? didn't know there's pc and internet inside mosquito.

@hadara69

8 жыл бұрын

I call them "vampire fairies". Mosquito in Spanish just means little fly, and considering they kill more people than ANY OTHER CREATURE ON EARTH, I'd say they've earned a more menacing moniker.

its so annoying when insects sit on my screen.

I remember thinking about this once. I thought that insects were attracted to lights in the dark (mild or pitch black) because they have poor vision. So, they would flock towards a light source which would provide a environment in which they could see well. I also thought of an analogy for this. It's like when you gravitate towards areas with streetlamps during nighttime. They provide light so that you can observe your surroundings more clearly. This creates a sort of bubble of light and vision in the midst of darkness which I imagine would be the same as an insect flying around a light source at night.

@snehilyadav5540

2 жыл бұрын

Bro where do yo live?... Love from India..🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳

@RomeoFnV

4 ай бұрын

Great answer

but hey that's just a theory

@JanjayTrollface

8 жыл бұрын

ikr

@aguy2534

8 жыл бұрын

Don't worry. I get your sarcasm.

@natanoj16

8 жыл бұрын

A real-life theory!

@AlvinCornelius

8 жыл бұрын

I once had a pet fly, I named him Marty

@ThupHu325

8 жыл бұрын

A motheory! or moththeory? ... but hey that's just a tongue-twister! XD

This video helped me get a giant bee out of a cafeteria full of screaming kids. I shut off all the lights, opened the outside door, and waved an LED flashlight. Worked like a charm. Thanks Hank!

Cool tip: if you want to get rid of a moth, light a candle

@PureGold197

8 жыл бұрын

Trust me, it works

@azathothina5251

8 жыл бұрын

the moth will catch fire then fly right into the curtains which will catch fire then youve got a problem on your hands

@Andytlp

8 жыл бұрын

This.

@Dogewowm8

8 жыл бұрын

Moth burns to death, I don't see the problem.

@User-ge7ni

8 жыл бұрын

+Mister Phister no that we'll never happens the moth doesn't get flame on it just sislys that's it

Uhhhhhh bröther may i have ........L A M P

LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP LÄMP

Uhh... Can I get extra *LAMP*

do not go to the light

@ImVeryBrad

8 жыл бұрын

I can't help it. its so beautiful..... ZZZZZZT!

@adrikosmos

8 жыл бұрын

Harry, no!

@SuperYtc1

8 жыл бұрын

+Pokemon PSA - Brad A bug's world

@Pokemon60660

8 жыл бұрын

A Bug's Life*

@SuperYtc1

8 жыл бұрын

Pokemon60660 A bug's crusty bumhole

Why cant they figure it out? Not knowing is really bugging me?

@callummunro7380

8 жыл бұрын

We haven't figured out a lot of stuff. This is not high on the list of "things to sort out" in science.

@crojonphoenix

8 жыл бұрын

Callum Munro sorry for my out burst earlier i was a bit...Ticked off.

@spookydabloob34

8 жыл бұрын

+Callum Munro you missed the horrible pun

@callummunro7380

8 жыл бұрын

Spooky Dabloob I'm usually the master of puns. Jesus christ I'm useless xD

@crojonphoenix

8 жыл бұрын

Spooky Dabloob Horrible pun!?...Well i guess i did buy a few cheap old ones down at the flee market.

They're disorientated and are actually trying to get away

I have this hypothesis: In order for a flying invertebrate that has no vestibular system to stay balanced, it needs to keep a flight in such way that overall brightness in both eyes is approximatelly the same. While in nature it means both eyes are in parallel to sky (which is brighter even at night), when in presence of point light source, it causes the insect to face towards it.

@lightstar52899

11 ай бұрын

Good theory but that means insects would only fly east to west and vise versa which is not the case, by this theory north to south or vise versa would place them off balance, yet they be doin circles around me and my light

The white stripes on Hank's shirt confused me, and for a moment, I thought he was glowing. No worries Hank, your radiant smile still makes my day. :D

2024 update: The newest information is that the artificial light source is confusing flying insects who have dorsal sensors (meaning on their backs) so that they can detect the natural sources of light like the sun and reflective lunar light. The insects are trapped in this flying death cycle with their backs facing the artificial light source. This is contributing to the decline of the insect world and their role in our ecosystems.

@riddhipatel8447

Ай бұрын

Yes that's true .Finally we know the truth ... 😊

Every SciShow episode ever: "Why does [insert interesting science question here]?" 20 seconds later: "Nobody knows".

"Why are insects attracted to light" Nobody knows for sure. god damn, still watch every single one of your vids

I Think They Are Trapped In A Loop Trying To Turn Their Backs To The Light

They have lost faith in humanity and need a easy way out.

@nomnomnom55555

8 жыл бұрын

Why would moths and shit care about humanity?

@magic_cfw

8 жыл бұрын

nomnomnomey A ample supply of woolly fleeces.

@nomnomnom55555

8 жыл бұрын

-CFW. Magic- I stand corrected.

@eula_gaming

5 жыл бұрын

They just need some *lämps*

So that's why I'm so attracted to night long gaming sessions. Thanks SciShow :D

For mosquitoes I always thought they mistake a source of light for a source of heat (aka a warm-blooded animal on which to suck on) as it is the same kind of radiation which would also explain why they are nocturnal. Nighttime grants better conditions to track animals' heat tracks.

I learned a lot. Thanks :)

Lamps bröther

@JarmalK

5 жыл бұрын

*Lämp*

Does anyone else has the feeling that this video will explode because of the new moth meme?

This video just made me even more sad. Poor insects flying into a bug zapper thinking they're just getting near a harmless lamp or something

a 3:20 non-skippable ad in front of a 2:34 video. well done.

Allow me to indulge some Lämp

One small step for man, one giant flutter for moths.

Excellent video Hank

Love that if I have a science question at 4am and then type it into Google with the tag sci show and find whole video explaining it

Taps search bar what do moths eat

This show reminds me of those little kids that are always asking their parents questions and the parents BS their way thru the answer because they don't know the either.

So far no-one's mentioned how bugs inside a building collect and buzz at a window pane during hours of natural daylight trying to get out. That must offer a clue about how light motivates them, and why they adopt the same behaviour at night in the opposite direction, in through that same window when the building's artificially lit. Trapped birds will do this too during the day, but don't seem so prone to being lured in by lights at night.

well if researchers want a sleepover in my house for the night they can study these DAMN MOTHS THAT KEEP FLYING IN MY ROOM

Yay Hank is back!

I'm watching this video as a moth is circling my bathroom light

If you get a flying insect like a bee or a wasp in your apartment or house you can use this behavior to get them out with little effort. Just make sure that the only bright part is the path out. Pull down blinders and turn off lights and make sure the only opening is small enough that any light coming in doesn't flood the entire room and they will usually fly straight to it and out without any need for coaxing or chasing or risk of angering them by trying to kill them.

@buizelmeme6288

9 ай бұрын

Can confirm that I use this method as well! :)

When my brothers and I were younger we used to still up late and watch the bugs fly around the lights outside, we called it the bug parade.

Someone should build a tiny MRI for insect so scientist can see what happen in their "brain" when they see light.

@TorquemadaTwist

8 жыл бұрын

Then they can see the degeneration from the light bulb induced concussions. And PETA can set about fabricating miniscule helmets to protect them.

@jmcwd

8 жыл бұрын

Insects don't have brains.

@walruswarlock4800

8 жыл бұрын

+jmcwd rude

@TheTpointer

8 жыл бұрын

that offends me kappa

@Nulono

8 жыл бұрын

I thought their brains were distributed throughout their bodies.

When mosquitos fly to fire and parish. I am extremely joyful lol

Can I just say I really, really hate that sci-show's hosts use the word "theory" instead of "hypothesis" for stuff like this (or at least a term which doesn't exist in science like idea). This kind of use of the colloquial definition in a scientific context is exactly what fuels the "evolution's just a theory" crap.

@BERKAYWOOD

8 жыл бұрын

You are wrong here . Google it . You will see that theory us right.

@BERKAYWOOD

8 жыл бұрын

+Berukai is*

@Alpha1200

8 жыл бұрын

Berukai Under the colloquial definition, yes. But not in science.

@BERKAYWOOD

8 жыл бұрын

+OneOnOne1162 If you think so.

@Alpha1200

8 жыл бұрын

dev02ify It is a theory. A scientific theory. Meaning "A well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. Such fact-supported theories are not guesses but reliable accounts of the real world." Which is almost anti-thetical to the colloquial definition and not the same as what they're using the word to mean here in this video. And using the word "just" in a sentence saying that clealry implies the colloquial definition of a guess, because there's no "just" about the accurate definition.

Light is just amazing, I don’t think I should have to explain this to you.

I came here for the *MOTH MEME*

Yay! SciShow!

I still don't understand why they continually slam into windows and light bulbs for hours at a time. One would expect after a certain point they'd think "Hey, there's something in the way here. I should try another way". But nooo... "OWW my face! OWW my face! OWW my face! Why does this keep happening?! Perhaps if I continue flying in this direction... OWW my face!"

@stefans4562

8 жыл бұрын

no brain

@wheeeliegirl

8 жыл бұрын

+Stefan Schönhärl. this made me laugh a lot harder than it should have but the answer to your question is no memory so they don't remember doing it

@crispybacon4240

8 жыл бұрын

wheeeliegirl No memory? How else would they remember different routes?

@wheeeliegirl

8 жыл бұрын

+Crispy Bacon migratory instinct is completely different. it's a type of hereditary memory not a memory like we have

@crispybacon4240

8 жыл бұрын

wheeeliegirl No, not migration. More like where the best flowers for nectar are, or places to avoid for fear of being killed by predators. Like bees checking feeding stations for sugar water, other insects will develop new behaviours and follow certain routes.

lol I was just thinking about this the other day hoping you guys would do an episode on it.

I watched this video while an insect was sitting on my monitor.

That is why I got stung by the wasp in my arm while I went outside

I read a long poem describing how bugs would rather burn in a "beautiful" fire than living the boring lives they live

@noahmcc

8 жыл бұрын

I don't, sorry =__=

TLDR: "Why do bugs fly into lights?" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

See no human can understand the power of that lämp

I always thought insects we trying to keep warm and surround themselves with light to advantageously avoid predation at night.

I'm a welder who works second shift and my station is very close to a large open door. After the sun goes down, I will frequently lift my hood to find my work piece littered with shriveled bug corpses.

sometimes I roast marshmallows on my stove and flies just fly in the fire.

watching this while my monitor is swarmed by insects

Can you do one on cerebral aneurysms? I had one rupture at 19 and would love to learn more!

If Einstein was such a Jeaneus then why is he dead?

@apollog7764

8 жыл бұрын

Imagine being so knowledgable in jeans that you could avoid death

@vinniesmith3120

8 жыл бұрын

your not funny

@thegamingsnake7198

8 жыл бұрын

Illluminati confirmed

@Max24871

8 жыл бұрын

I can't even

@vanessasalamon8750

8 жыл бұрын

jaden please

Can I get uhhh łärgē łâmp?

For security reasons the lights were left on all night at the football stadium where the final of the European Championship 2016 was going to be held. Come the day of the final, the place was literally filled with moths. It was insane!

A moth literally just hit my screen as I was watching this...

Plot Twist: The Insects are sacrificing themselves to summon some kind of Insect Monster

SciShow: Using science to help catch those annoying mosquitoes!

My theory the bugs are trying to keep warm

quality episode!

None of those reasons seem reasonable. am I going to have to do a video on this?

@zlatanibrahimovic8329

3 жыл бұрын

Doubt it.

when I read positively phototactic I see a 1950s English person saying it like 'It's positively phototactic!' (positively being used in the same way definitely would)

I thought I knew... but I wanted to make sure, wanted to know more.. now i've learnes somthing new !!!

In urban areas with lots of light pollution insects are learning to avoid light sources.

I was just standing next to my bug zapper last night with some friends talking about why these damn bugs keep going for the light. And laughing at them as they got roasted.

This video is Positively Phototactic!!! :D :D :D

Enjoying the we don't know, but can discuss and play with the observation. I'm rooting for the bugs to create or evolve sunglasses.

it's pretty ironical that while i watch this video a moth is fly straight into my screen

What I do know is that mosquitos dont need light to find an open window, grrr, lol

This video is Lit!

So this is why a random bug flies at my ipad while I'm watching yt..

Who else is watching this with some big ass insect flying around your light

that was phototactic

Me searching for this video because a bug just fly to my phone screen when I was watching a KZread video in the dark before sleeping.

When I see bug zappers, I always think of that scene from Bugs Life 😂 "It's so beautiful"

I have been searching for this answer😮all this while

Thanks 😄

Watching a fly trying to fly into my bathroom light

Funny. I was asking myself this question just a few days before this video was released

Why are you using the word Theory when you clearly mean Hypothesis? Particularly egregious considering this is supposed to be a science-based educational channel.

@Max24871

8 жыл бұрын

It's a theory after all, just not a scientific one.

@kat465k3

8 жыл бұрын

Its just a theory, a GAME THEORY!

@BitGamerExtreme

8 жыл бұрын

Theories imply that it hasn't been tested/proven whereas hypothesis is the testing of said theory which is only done during experiments.

@khenricx

8 жыл бұрын

nope. a Theory is a predictive model. An hypothese is just an IDEA you test.

@Lttlemoi

8 жыл бұрын

In a science context, one may safely assume that "theory" is used as a shorthand for "scientific theory". The status of "scientific theory" is the highest status a scientific idea can get and it means that the idea, which started out as a hypothesis has been thoroughly tested. Therefore, the original comment by CountBrennuvarg is justified.

The instant I heard hank's voice I smiled

You were referring to the reasons insects might be attracted to light as theories, but they seem more like hypotheses to me.

I’m here because of my *bröther möth.*

tink! tink! tink! dang it, now i have to get up and shut off the light

So, the hall outside my bedroom tends to get flies in it for some reason. Well, one thing I noticed is that they'll slam their heads into the lights in the hall pretty hard, like hard enough to make a noticeable ping on the light bulb. After a few bashes the flies would get what I could only describe as a concussion and promptly land on the nearest hard surface then refrain from moving. I even gently blew on them or waved a hand fan near them and they wouldn't move unless I put something in front of their heads.

Humans have made being Positively Phototactic not such a positive tactic for moths to navigate by.

So, one could say that bugs have a bug. "Yes, Mother Nature? I'd like to submit a bug bug report. Yes, my bugs have this bug where they keep flying into lights. Yes, they will fly into the lights even if the lights are fire. No, nobody has any idea why."

No wonder my ex keeps coming back when I drive around the city. Thanks SciShow!