Neither proud nor ashamed
This is one of those unquestioned childhood beliefs that survived into older years. It's not because you're dumb (though many do a good impression), it's just you never question it. I have no idea how this started. I've never found a reference in a book or cartoon to it and my family are none the wiser as to where I picked this up.

It's moths. When moths fly at a light or flame I genuinely believed it was because they thought it was the moon. See moths are in love with the moon and from the day they are born they want to fly to their lunar home. So if you shine a light at night a moth gets confused and thinks it is the moon. I can't decided whether this is endearing or depressing. I eventually realized that moths don't think a patio light is the moon.

I realized this a few weeks ago...I'm 23 years old.

One thing I have learned is I am definitely telling my children this story.
(Gherkinlasagna is probably doing something stupid on, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 0:04, 12 replies)

But...
They do think it's the moon. They use it to navigate in a straight line, always keeping it on their left (for example). But when you try to keep a much closer light source on your left, you start going in circles, not straight lines.
( Lord Keeps meaning to procrastinate., Fri 16 Jul 2010, 1:11, closed)

Well it's kind of true...

(MrChimp previously Monsieur, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 1:20, closed)

YAY

( Ysol ab abl blap, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 1:39, closed)

oh yes,
I like this lots :D
( The magic of chutney Shakes it like an Instagram filter!, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 1:57, closed)

You're not as wrong as you think.
They DO think it's the moon. But they are not trying to get to the moon.

They navigate according to the light of the moon. It is effectively an infinite distance away, so if they keep it on the right side of themselves, they know they're heading in the right direction.

When they fly past an artifical light, it changes direction, relative to them, cos it's close. So they alter their direction to keep it in the right place. And that is why they spiral into it.
(metalwarlord, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 1:25, closed)

Oh, thank god!
After reading that post I was wondering "what the hell?", because I always thought they just loved the moon too! At least I am not completely mad!
(Magrat rockin' your undies since, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 1:49, closed)

I'm so happy right now
Navigation is all well and good. Makes more sense than love. As a child it was this fairytale like quest that all moths want to go to the moon and it seemed perfectly normal to me.
(Gherkinlasagna is probably doing something stupid on, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 10:55, closed)

Hmm
All this business about moths navigating by the moon is not entirely correct. Truth is, the moon theory is just the best guess about moth navigation. Do moths fly on cloudy nights without their very own 'satnav'? Of course they do. The moon also moves about a lot; if moths were to use the moon as a point of reference they would scatter about aimlessley depending upon the moon's position in the sky. Finally, why do moths need to navigate? Most moths have one objective: fucking. They want to fuck and find food to lay their eggs. Moths have two objectives: fucking and laying their eggs. Once these have been ticked off, they die (sooner or later afterwards). Normally they don't have to move far to achieve these objectives, and use chemical means to find mates. True, there are some moths which move vast distances; during the summer months we are visited by a number of rare migrants from as far away as Northern Africa. But their use of the moon for this purpose is disputed, after all a number of butterflies make the same journey during the day time. It is more likely that warm air streams carry these insects northwards. Thank you.
(mersault, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 13:09, closed)

It's ultraviolet, so you probably haven't noticed it
but towards the (from our point of view) bottom of the moon, a little above the large crater towards the bottom of this image



(source: moonpark.files.wordpress.com/)

is a big sign that says

/_________________
\
Mothminge this way
(teebie jeebie, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 17:22, closed)

ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Brillyunt.
(mersault, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 21:06, closed)

I don't think Disney will like the whole 'live to fuck' angle when I pitch them the latest sequel 'Homeward Bound; A moth story' :)
(Gherkinlasagna is probably doing something stupid on, Fri 16 Jul 2010, 13:18, closed)

That's no moon...

( idonthaveafunnynickname Drink-Aware? Sure. I'm aware I want another drink., Fri 16 Jul 2010, 19:00, closed)