We are approaching the Harvest Moon — the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox.
The Harvest Moon tradition came from Europe because centuries ago, farmers realized that in September, the light of the rising full moon was so bright that they could extend the hours they could work in the fields to bring in the harvest. It was the perfect time for bringing in the sheaves.
European immigrants brought the tradition to America, so I always just assumed that “Shine On Harvest Moon” was a folk song celebrating our agrarian past. How wrong I was!
“Shine on Harvest Moon” is a vaudeville song, first introduced by the Ziegfeld Follies of 1908. You can’t get much farther from agriculture than that! But if the Harvest Moon aroused city folk, I had to wonder if wildlife was influenced by the light of the silvery moon.
Some marine animals do reproduce when the moon is full, yet the moon does not seem to affect breeding seasons here. Still, the full moon does influence some wildlife behavior.
For example, nocturnal wildlife that use sight for hunting or foraging benefit from the light of the moon. Browsers like deer will be able to see better and predatory creatures like owls will be better able to locate their prey. Members of the dog family howl at a full moon, but otherwise their behaviors do not seem to be much different than in other moon phases.
But a bright full moon is a deterrent to stealthier animals because their prey may notice them and escape. In this region, bats are less active in bright moonlight. They locate their prey through the sense of hearing so bright light would not help them. Perhaps because they are both predator and prey, bats may be more vulnerable to predation in bright moonlight.
Then, humans. The word “lunatic” comes from the word meaning moon and since ancient times, people have believed that the full moon can make people crazy. Despite countless efforts to study the moon and its effect on human psychology, there doesn’t yet seem to a be a whole lot of evidence to support the belief.
Except during a Harvest Moon. Apparently that full moon makes some people feel romantic.
