Breaking Circus

beheMOTHS Air and light pollution are a huge problem for moths. Artificial light attracts them and they flutter frantically becoming tired and therefore easy prey. If a light source is high up, like a lamppost, moths will tend to fly at the level of the light and this makes them miss plants and flowers they might be feeding from had they been lower - at their natural flying height. The beheMOTHS in these pics are fed up with light pollution and are enacting their revenge on s...ome waterfront lampposts. Can we really blame them? Air pollution can affect all aspects of a moth’s life. Pollutants can interfere with a moth’s ability to locate a mate by smelling their pheromones. Surrounding pollution can also affect the growth of caterpillars and car exhaust and other anthropological pollution like nitrogen deposition changes the way the plants smell and can make them unattractive to the moths who usually feast on them. However, according to Max Planck’s study at the Institute of Chemical Ecology in 2020, some moths have been able to adapt and learn that these unusual smelling plants do yield the same delicious food as always. This holds hope for the survival of moths and their adaptability and learning capabilities in these difficult times where anthropology is crashing with evolution. What can you do? Look at reducing your carbon footprint! Especially consumption of fossil fuels. Turn out your lights! Use timed lights and choose warm lighting, as this is least harmful to moths. Moths are a good indicator species! The presence and state of moths in your area is indicative of their surroundings. Listen to and learn from the moths around you! References: Journal of Chemical Ecology: Pollination in the Anthropocene: a Moth can Learn Ozone-altered Floral Blends by Cook, B., Haverkamp, A., Hansson, B.S., Roulston, T., Lerdau, M., Knaden, M. 2020. Butterfly Conservation: Scotland Director, Paul Kirkland, 2019. @nocturnehalifax #nocturne2020 @breakingcircus #breakingcircus Photos by @chrisholland_

beheMOTHS Moths are often overlooked for their role in our ecosystem, but they play a vital part in pollination. Bees and birds get all the credit for pollination, but moths are actually the stars of the show. Nighttime moth pollinators reach more types of plants than bees do and offer a bit of natural biodiversity security. Should daytime pollinators disappear, there is a potential for moths to fill that gap and keep nature diverse. One of the dangers moths face as they poll...inate are pesticides and herbicides. These kill plants that moths need for sustenance and habitat to survive, and they can kill the moths themselves as well when ingested or contacted. What can you do? Avoid using pesticides and herbicides on your plants, gardens, and yards. Cut your hedges every few years instead of annually! These make a nice habitat for moths. Limit your concrete, decking, and gravel surfaces to welcome more moths. Leave the leaves. Moths love fallen leaves, sticks and natural debris to hide from predators in. These make great winter habitats for them too. Some good nectar plants are: Aubretia, Bluebell, Clover, Cuckooflower, Daisy, Dandelion, Forget-me-not, Honesty, Pansy, Primrose, Sweet Rocket, Wallflower, Buddleia, French Marigold, Ice Plant, Knapweed, Lavender, Marjoram, Michaelmas Daisy, Mint, Red Valerian, Scabious and Thyme. (Butterfly Conservation) In short, turn your yard into a natural playground for moths and see if your visitors have as much fun at night as these beheMOTHS do during the day. References: Biology Letters: Nocturnal pollinators strongly contribute to pollen transport of wild flowers in an agricultural landscape by Richard E. Walton, Carl D. Sayer, Helen Bennion and Jan C. Axmacher, 2020. Butterfly Conservation: Scotland Director, Paul Kirkland, 2020. @nocturnehalifax #nocturne2020 @breakingcircus #breakingcircus Photos by @chrisholland_

beheMOTHS Moths are often nocturnal, and they have one major enemy; the bat. Moths are unique in that one of the ways they stay alive is by blocking the sonar of their bat predators. This is a phenomenon only found in some moths, generally Tiger Moths and Hawk Moths, and they are the first species with conclusive documented evidence of sonar jamming in nature. Almost all sound made by moths is ultrasound and cannot be heard by humans, but is easily heard by bats. As a defense... many moths developed ears sensitive to the bat´s echolocation cries. Many moths use both their hearing and their avoidance behaviour to communicate about sex. A Danish/Japanese research team has discovered that various moth species probably talk about sex in a great number of ways and they "whisper" to avoid the attention of bats. They only do so when they are quite close to each other, so that their sexy mating signals are so weak that bats flying at a distance don't detect them. Artificial light can confuse moths into feeling that they are flying during day and leave them more vulnerable to bats, as they will not use their jamming abilities since bats do not attack during the day. Light pollution from humans can adversely affecting mating behaviour in moths and contribute to moth population declines. What can you do? Turn out your lights! Or use timed lights so they go out and the moths (and other insects) that have gathered will be released. Also choose warm lighting, as this is least harmful to moths. Conserve rather than collect! Light pollution traps more moths than the beheMOTHS caught in this net. Reducing your light pollution will help moths to avoid getting unnecessarily eaten by predators and to get in some quality sexy time. References: Scientific American: Moths Use Sonar-Jamming Defense to Fend Off Hunting Bats by Lynne Peeples, 2009. University of Southern Denmark. "Moths talk about sex in many ways." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 July 2013. Artificial night lighting disrupts sex pheromone in a noctuid moth. Koert G.Van Geffen et al. 2015. @nocturnehalifax #nocturne2020 @breakingcircus #breakingcircus Photos by @chrisholland_

beheMOTHS Many people think of moths as pests, especially since caterpillars are often seen as destroyers of plants and moths are commonly believed to be eaters of cloth. It might surprise you to know that most moths are not garden pests, and that of the many thousands of moth species, only two feed on wool. It seems like butterflies get all the glory and moths get all the blame. Here in Canada though, there are approximately 5,000 known species of moths and only about 300 kn...own species of butterflies. We are a moth country, we may as well embrace it. Moths are essential to most terrestrial ecosystems and play many roles including regulating plant growth, pollination, and being food sources for many other animals such as songbirds, bats, and other insects. Despite the large number of moth species in Canada, moth and butterfly populations are in decline and it is thought that many factors are affecting them. From air and light pollution, to climate change, to habitat loss and agriculture, the list goes on. So how can we help? Create moth friendly habitats. Avoid using pesticides, plant host trees that are native to your area such as maple, white birch, oak, willow, etc. OR dedicate a small area of your neighborhood as a moth haven. Sometimes it happens inadvertently, like these beheMOTHS who find solace in this overgrown, abandoned local schoolyard. Reference: Government of Canada: Wild Species 2010: chapter 19 Canadian Wildlife Federation @nocturnehalifax #nocturne2020 @breakingcircus #breakingcircus Photos by @chrisholland_

beheMOTHS Many insects, including moths and bees, can see wavelengths invisible to human eyes. Because moths can see ultraviolet light, many flowers have evolved UV reflecting patterns in order to attract them. Unfortunately, moths are also attracted to artificial light, causing them to flutter frantically, making them easy prey from fatigue. Light pollution also distracts them from their daily tasks of pollination and mating. Not all moths are nocturnal, but those that are c...an be confused by artificial light into thinking it is daytime, and thus remain inactive from their nightly routine. What can you do to help? Use warm coloured LED lights (yellow/orange) instead of cool (blue) or incandescent light, in order to minimize disturbing the moths. A widespread shift to LED lamps would greatly reduce the impact of light pollution on these insects. Reference: Light Pollution and Insects: Insect Attraction to Various Types of Residential Lights by Michael Justice @nocturnehalifax #nocturne2020 @breakingcircus #breakingcircus Photos by @chrisholland_