Long-Term Comparison of Attraction of Flying Insects to Streetlights after the Transition from Traditional Light Sources to Light-Emitting Diodes in Urban and Peri-Urban Settings

Roy H. A. van Grunsven, Julia Becker, Stephanie Peter, Stefan Heller and Franz Hölker
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Roy H. A. van Grunsven: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
Julia Becker: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
Stephanie Peter: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
Stefan Heller: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
Franz Hölker: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 22, 1-9

Abstract: Among the different light sources used for street lighting, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are likely to dominate the world market in the coming years. At the same time, the spectral composition of nocturnal illumination is changing. Europe and many other areas worldwide have implemented bans on energy-inefficient lamps, such as the still very common mercury vapor lamps. However, the impact of artificial light on insects is mostly tested with light-traps or flight-intercept traps that are used for short periods only. By comparing the numbers of insects attracted by street lamps before and after replacing mercury vapor light sources (MV) with light emitting diodes, we assessed the impact in more typical (urban and peri-urban) settings over several years. We found that LED attracted approximately half of the number of insects compared to MV lights. Furthermore, most insect groups are less drawn by LED than by MV, while Hymenoptera are less attracted by MV than by LED. Thus, the composition of the attracted communities differed between the light sources, which may impact ecosystem processes and functions. In green peri-urban settings more insects are attracted than in an urban setting, but the relative difference between the light sources is the same.

Keywords: artificial light; Hymenoptera; LED; Lepidoptera; mercury vapor; moths; phototaxis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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