Confused dogs and courting crickets: how does daylight saving time affect animals?

"All animals have circadian rhythms, but only humans have DST. We flip time forwards and backwards, often with little idea of how that can affect other species."

"With daylight saving, we start shifting our cars and our daily routine more into the zone of animals, their sunset, sunrise period suddenly there are cars when all the dusk choruses are happening."

"Earlier research by Jones and colleagues found increased amounts of artificial light at night affected crickets' mating choices, but not their courtship calls."

"Artificial light at night, which increases when daylight saving ends, is a profound change in urban ecosystems."

Daylight saving time alters human behavior, affecting wildlife and urban ecosystems. When clocks are set back, peak commute times coincide with increased animal activity, leading to more vehicle-animal collisions. Artificial light pollution from earlier nightfall disrupts natural rhythms of various species, including insects and birds. Research indicates that these changes can affect mating behaviors and overall wildlife interactions. The NRMA reports that longer winter nights correlate with higher collision rates, emphasizing the broader implications of daylight saving on both human and animal life.

Read at www.theguardian.com