Does anyone know why bees are drawn to light sources, especially at night?
I think it’s mainly because they get disoriented. Their navigation systems that rely on the sun get confused by artificial lighting.
That’s true, they have an internal navigation system that uses the position of the sun, so artificial lights can throw them off course.
Do they get any benefit from it, though, or is it purely disorienting?
Some scientists say that bees might also mistake lights for flowers because of their ultraviolet light emissions, which flowers also emit.
You’re right. Bees are mostly active during the day, but they can be attracted to artificial lights just like moths. It might be because they confuse it for sunlight.
That’s interesting! Could it also be because the light helps them navigate in the dark if they’re away from the hive after sunset?
I’ve read that bees’ eyes are sensitive to certain types of light. Some lights can disrupt their natural activity patterns.
You have a point. Their eyes are meant for daylight and polarized light for navigation. Artificial lights at night can throw off their internal compass.
Definitely. Bees getting attracted to artificial lights at night could be a sign of disorientation because their natural navigation gets hindered.
It’s pretty well documented that bees use light for navigation, so they’re likely just mistaking your garden lights for natural light sources.
They use the sun to find their way around, and the garden lights must be just bright enough to catch their attention when there’s no sunlight around.
It’s not just bees; moths and other insects have phototaxis, which means they automatically move towards light sources. Your lights are probably disrupting their normal behavior.