Evolutionary change in flight-to-light response in urban moths comes with changes in wing morphology

• DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0486
• Publication Date: 2024-03-13T00:05:24Z
• Authors: Evert Van de Schoot; Thomas Merckx; Dieter Ebert; Renate A. Wesselingh; Florian Altermatt; Hans Van Dyck
• Keywords: Light Pollution

Moths and other insects are attracted by artificial light sources. This flight-to-light behaviour disrupts their general activity focused on finding resources, such as mating partners, increases predation risk. It thus has substantial fitness costs. In illuminated urban areas, spindle ermine moths Yponomeuta cagnagella were reported to have evolved a reduced response. Yet, the specific mechanism remained unknown, was hypothesized involve either changes in visual perception or flight ability overall mobility traits. Here, we test whether from rural populations—with known differences responses—differ flight-related morphological Urban individuals found average smaller wings than moths, which turn correlated with lower probability of being an source. Our supports hypothesis, states that areas is associated apparatus.