Protecting Moths from Light Pollution and Bug Zappers

By Elizabeth Craig

Photo of a Luna Moth

The best way to protect moths from light pollution is to turn off exterior lights when possible and to shade windows in lighted rooms at night. If you have to use outdoor lighting, consider lights that are motion activated, dim low-voltage lighting or LED lights with a warm color temperature. They are all less attractive to moths and other insects. And ditch that electronic “bug zapper” if you have one. They are still manufactured and widely available despite the overwhelming research showing they are useless for controlling pests such as mosquitos. One study examining the effectiveness of bug zappers found that of the 13,789 moths and other insects killed during a summer season by one typical residential bug zapper, only 31 of them were biting insects. Protecting moths should be a priority. They are even more hardworking than our daytime pollinators.

And to learn more about how light pollution is driving the demise of many insect populations, check out The Devastating Role of Light Pollution in the Insect Apocalypse.