You've likely used the phrase "like a moth to a flame" at some point during your life, and there's a reason people associate those two things — moths are attracted to light. It only makes sense that someone would combine these two things — and now they have. If you've been on social media at all in the past week, you've likely noticed the slew of moth lamp memes floating around the internet, and you've likely wondered... why?
According to Know Your Meme, moths are having a moment on social media because of a video of a giant moth that made its rounds on Reddit this summer. Likely because the moth was huge and terrifying and also looking in through a window, people immediately began memeing the creature because it's 2018 — that's what we do now. Moth lamp mania has gained so much momentum that there's even an Instagram account dedicated to moth memes! The meme usually contains a photoshopped picture of the moth from the Reddit video, in addition to some reference to a lamp, because moths love lamps.
Personally, moths — or bugs of any kind — are not my jam. I call on my roommate whenever there are any bugs in our apartment. But, moths are a special kind of evil. They eat clothes and disrupt lazy outdoor evenings, crashing the party by circling the porch light in droves. If the thought of moths swirling around your lamp makes your skin crawl, then the giant moth lamp memes on Twitter are going to make you want to spend more time in the dark.
According to Live Science, moths like artificial light because it mesmerizes them. They just can't help themselves. "The thinking is that they become dazzled by the light and are somehow attracted," Jerry Powell, an entomologist at the University of California, Berkeley, who specializes in moths, told Live Science. If moth lamps are going to give you pre-Halloween nightmares, you might want to stop reading right now because, IMO, these moth lamp memes are next-level creepy.
1What's Worse Than Moths On Your Lamp?
How about a moth that's taller than you worshiping your precious lamp when you're trying to chill out with a book before bed. If this sight doesn't elicit bloodcurdling screams, I don't know what does.
2Um, Just No
Giant moths in search of lamps kind of look like owls. However, owls are nice enough to stay in a dark barn where they belong.
3How To Care For Your Pet Moth
If you're longing for a pet, and insects are your jam, all you have to do to get your very own swarm of moth babies is turn on the light.
4Moths Are Getting Desperate
Just like dogs, moths need their very own parks where they can hang out and smell each other. I mean, they're even going on game shows to try to win money to buy lamps. Maybe if we give them what they want, they'll leave our lamps alone.
5Thomas Edison, Every Moth's Hero
For moths, there was no greater day in history than when Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. Seriously, when they're having their little parties around your porch light they're telling each other campfire stories about Edison, their one-and-only BAE.
6Moths Even Have Their Own Playlists
Because, it's not really a party until the drunkest moth at the bright-light bash breaks out the Bee Gees and starts dancing like John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever.
7What Moths Tell Their Uber Drivers
After a long night of flying around in search of the best lamps, sometimes you just need a frickin' ride.
8How Moths Pick Up Other Moths
Never make a moth choose between love and a light because they'll peace out to find another moth who promises them both.
9Moths Have FOMO Too
Moth: If I had gotten here two seconds earlier that lamp would have been mine.
10Don't Turn Off The Light
Moth: Can we please, please, please sleep with the lamp on?
14We've All Been There
Just like everyone human at one point or another, moths are attracted to the thing that's the absolute worst for them.
15And, Some People Are Sooooo Over It
Whether it's the dislike of moths, or a fear of lamps, some people on Twitter are being serious Debbie downers about moth lamp memes. Hey, you do you, but we all need a little oblivion right now as the dumpster fire of 2018 continues to roar. Moth lamp memes are a safe way to escape the real world, as long as those moths stay on the internet and away from my lamps.
