The effects of ambient light and temperature on moth behaviour in different South African locations

Abstract

Insects, the smallest, most diverse animals in the world can be great biological indicators. Moths are one of the very few that need to be conserved in order to inform us about the environment. This study investigates how moths are affected by ambient light and temperature in three locations in South Africa. The data was collected by observing the number of moths that were present at a light source, in this case a street light, at 3 hourly intervals for several days in April and May. The data was analysed using an ANOVA test and Pearson’s correlation test, to test for the relationship between these variables and moth behaviour. There were two hypotheses. The first stated that if there was a relation between moth activity and temperature, then there would be more moths in warmer temperatures. While the second stated that if there was a relationship between moth activity and ambient light then areas with light pollution would show higher moth numbers. However the report concluded both hypotheses to be incorrect. There was no significant difference, nor a correlation between moth numbers and the variables. The implications of the study suggest that moth conservation in South Africa is something that needs to be given more attention. The people should be more aware of their impact on wildlife species by conserving them.