Every night, while most of us sleep, the world comes alive for millions of animals: moths, glow-worms, bats, badgers, owls, toads, and more. Yet this vibrant nocturnal world is vanishing fast, threatened by our actions and our neglect – light pollution, habitat loss, and our failure to see what is happening in the dark.
That is why Buglife has launched the “Don’t Neglect the Night” campaign, calling on governments, planners, and the public to take urgent action and protect the half of nature that we are ignoring.
Night isn’t just a time of rest, it is half of Earth’s daily life cycle, and provides vital conditions for the two-thirds of all animal species that have evolved to thrive after the sun sets. From moths and other nocturnal pollinators that work the night shift, to bats that flit through our night skies in search of prey, to amphibians that migrate to breeding grounds in moonlit wetlands, countless species rely on the dark to feed, migrate, communicate, and thrive.
But almost all conservation efforts overwhelmingly focus on the daytime. Without night-specific protections and restoration, we shrink the safe spaces where nocturnal life can survive and thrive, and we risk losing species before we even understand them.
The Night is Under Threat
Despite its importance, the nocturnal environment is facing growing threats which destroy, damage and degrade – including the rapid increase of artificial lighting creating light pollution which disrupts wildlife behaviour, migration, and reproduction, threatening species that rely on darkness.
Nocturnal ecosystems are poorly understood, posing a major challenge for conservation. Many ecosystems rely on night time species and processes, like pollination by moths or the behaviours of predators and prey. But because most human activity happens during the day, these vital aspects often go unnoticed. As a result, conservation policies overlook the needs of nocturnal wildlife. Greater awareness is key to protecting all biodiversity more effectively.
Naturalist and Buglife Vice-President, Nick Baker says: “I’m proud to support Buglife’s new campaign reminding everyone to protect the nocturnal environment. It’s time we shine a light on the issue of light pollution. All around us, artificial lights are going up without much thought for the cost, not just to our wallets, but to the wildlife that depends on darkness to survive. These lights disrupt insects, confuse animals, and throw nature off balance. And let’s not forget what we’re missing ourselves, the stars. Everyone deserves the simple joy of looking up and seeing the night sky in all its beauty.”
A Call to Action
Buglife is urging governments to take action to restore and protect the nocturnal environment. Conservation groups, urban planners, businesses, and individuals can show their support too and ensure that we are all taking steps to consider the side of nature we don’t get to see.
Key measures include:
- Reducing light pollution – Recognising light as an environmental pollutant and setting binding targets to reduce levels. Creating comprehensive lighting strategies to ensure artificial lights don’t blind us or the natural world.
- Preserving and restoring natural dark areas – Expand dark sky reserves and ensure we help animals move safely between dark spaces.
- Restricting human activity in sensitive habitats at night – Limit disturbance in key nocturnal habitats, particularly during breeding and migration seasons.
- Creating quiet zones – Minimise noise pollution in critical areas to allow nocturnal species to thrive.
- Supporting sustainable development – Encourage planning and infrastructure projects that account for the needs of nocturnal wildlife.
- Increasing research and awareness – Invest in studies to better understand the nocturnal environment and educate the public on its importance.
Buglife is calling on the public to demand action from their elected representatives by urging them to include night time conservation in biodiversity strategies. By neglecting the night, we risk failing in global commitments to halt biodiversity loss.
Upcoming opportunities exist in Wales, Scotland, the UK and further afield to protect and restore the nocturnal environment in environmental legislation, it is vital to ensure the night isn’t neglected once again.
Buglife’s Advocacy and Social Change Manger, David Smith concludes: “If we want to truly protect nature, we cannot ignore half of it. Night time is not just a time of rest, it is a world of vital activity for countless species. We can balance human needs with nature at night, but only if we recognise it as a shared environment and confront the rapid destruction of the nocturnal world”.
Visit buglife.org.uk/campaigns/light-pollution/dont-neglect-the-night/ to support the campaign and learn more about how you can help protect the nocturnal environment. Join the conversation on social media using #DontNeglectTheNight.
Main Image Credit: Common Glow-worm (Lampyris noctiluca) © Kristian Pikner, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons