fairfolio
Saved Projects

Let Moths Illuminate the Way!

CSEF · 2018 Zoology

Sarah V. Stutsman · Auburndale Intermediate School, Corona, Riverside County

Overview

Objectives/Goals To verify which type of street light: Light Emitting Diode, High Pressure Sodium, Induction, or no street light, affects a moth's behavior more. Methods/Materials Set up a twin-sized bed sheet outside, placing a fluorescent lantern in the middle. Turn on the lantern an hour after sunset. After 30 minutes, note the number of moths attracted to the light. Check temperature, humidity levels, and barometric pressure with a thermometer and a barometer. Repeat in different locations with different types of street lights. Results On average, in the area with the Light Emitting Diode street light 4.3 moths were attracted to the fluorescent lantern, 2.3 moths were attracted in the area with the High Pressure Sodium street light, and in the areas with Induction and no street lights, 2 moths were counted. These results demonstrate that Light Emitting Diode street lights are better for moths and the environment in general. Conclusions/Discussion Through the many different trials used in this experiment, the environment with the Light Emitting Diode (LED) street light attracted the most moths. There are many different variables that should be taken in account. For example, the humidity and temperature levels, along with the phase of moon could have affected the moths' behavior each night. This experiment should aid in the battle to improve light pollution as it demonstrated which type of street light created less of a distraction to the moths. Moths have been avoiding light due to light pollution which affects the plants they pollinate and their predators.

Summary statement

Due to moths' attraction rate to a fluorescent lantern being higher in an area with a LED street light rather than in areas with High Pressure Sodium, induction, and no street lights, the LED light is better for the environment.

Help received

Michelle Stutsman (driving me around town); Tracy Martin (providing information about street lights); Tom Moody (directing me to Tracy Martin); Gloria Faus, Jeanette Fossum, and another neighbor (allowing me to perform my experiment on their lawns)

Competition history

  • CSEF 2018 Zoology · Entry J2313

Resources

Related projects

Closest projects by meaning, across every fair and year in the corpus.

Browse more like this

Source: California Science & Engineering Fair public projects

Save projects to your library

Sign in with Google to keep track of projects you find interesting, organized into folders. An account also raises your daily allowance for “Has this been done?”, and lets you create a key for the MCP server with a much higher limit than anonymous use. Browsing stays public.

Continue with Google