He found that in habitat consisting of hedgerows, there was a 51 per cent reduction in caterpillar numbers under LED streetlights, and 42 per cent reduction under sodium lights. Researchers found significantly fewer caterpillars in areas lit by streetlights. "So we can be really confident any effects we're finding are very much local."Ī selection of several species of moth caterpillars caught by sweep netting during fieldwork. "When we're looking at caterpillars, they don't really move more than a metre or so," Boyes told Quirks & Quarks host Bob McDonald. LED lights tend to be more energy efficient and more durable than older light technologies. Half of the streetlights were traditional sodium lighting, and the other half had LEDs. In his study, he identified sites that had caterpillar habitat along stretches of road that had streetlights and then a stretch with no lights. PhD student Douglas Boyes wanted to understand how artificial light might be tied to current insect population declines. We offer our condolences to his family.Ī recent study looking at moth caterpillars along roads in England has found that areas lit by eco-friendly LED (light emitting diode) streetlights had significantly fewer moths than in similar areas lit by traditional streetlights. Editor's note: After broadcasting this interview, originally recorded in September, we were informed that Douglas Boyes had passed away.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |