Moths are among the most diverse and ecologically important British insects, but light pollution causes direct disorientation welfare harm and population decline that can be addressed through lighting choices.
Light pollution causes direct welfare harm to individual moths drawn to artificial lights. Moths unable to navigate away from light traps exhaust themselves in circling flight, are preyed upon by spiders and bats that exploit the light trap, and may die from exhaustion against the light source. At the population level, disruption to mating behaviour from light pollution reduces reproductive success and contributes to the documented moth population decline. Switching to amber LEDs, installing motion sensors, and shielding outdoor lights reduces both direct welfare harm to individuals and population-level impacts. Garden moth conservation also has cascading benefits for bats, hedgehogs, and birds that prey on moths and their caterpillars.