Mothbox: Open Source, DIY Insect Camera for Conservation @Raspberry_Pi #PiDay #RaspberryPi
Why do moths tend to fly toward bright lights? The phrase “Like a moth to a flame” has a poetic ring to it. We might think of our own unconscious urges toward beautiful destruction, or the way some tragic figures race pell mell toward what they believe is beauty, despite the consequences of their single-minded dash. The truth of why moths — and other night-flying insects — tend toward the light is far more pedestrian, but its consequences are equally tragic.
Moths have evolved to keep their backs towards light. This tendency helps nocturnal flying insects remain level. When all the light moths experienced came from the stars or the moon, this trick helped keep them alive. But with the advent of artificial light, moths’ efforts to keep the lightbulb on your porch at their back forces them into a strange decaying orbit. It may be that this consequence of the advent of artificial light has contributed to the overall decline in the incest population on our planet. All the more reason for us to maintain conservation efforts worldwide.
Here’s a great project that can help with conservation from blorgggg via instructables:
The Mothbox is a low-cost, high-performance insect monitor. Its power efficient and lightweight design was created to help biologists deploy it in deep wildernesses, and its low-cost nature means you can also build one to study the biodiversity at your home! All the physical designs, electronics schematics, Pi Scripts, and automated insect-IDing Artificial Intelligence software are provided free and open source! So you can build, share and improve on these designs yourself!
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