5 Tips to Choose Outdoor Lights Building a Bug-Free Place

Outdoor lighting provides a sense of security but often attracts unwanted insects. While insects play a crucial role in the Earth's ecosystem, it's undeniable that certain species, acting as disease vectors, pose health threats to humans when drawn to artificial light.

As pool and garden owners, creating a welcoming and insect-free environment is undoubtedly a top priority. In this blog post, we'll explore the question: "Which outdoor lights can keep bugs away?" and aim to assist you in making informed decisions for your pool and garden LED lights.

Understanding Insect Behavior in Response to Light

Before diving into specific colors, understanding how insects react to light is crucial. Different insects are attracted to various light wavelengths, influenced by factors such as intensity and surrounding conditions.

Theories on why insects are drawn to light include:

- Light emitting heat, attracting insects.

- Light confusing insects' sense of direction, disrupting their reliance on moonlight navigation.

- Wavelengths emitted by lights attracting insects.

W hich Type of Lights Do Bugs Hate?

While scientists may differ on why insects exhibit positive phototaxis, their preference for certain types of lights is evident.

A study comparing various lights, including incandescent, CFL, Halogen, Warm white LED, Cool white LED, and yellow bug lights designed to repel bugs, found that LED lights were the most effective. LED lights attracted nearly half as many insects as incandescent lights, with results comparable to yellow bug lights. This difference may be attributed to insects being drawn to heat and ultraviolet light. [Read more in "Insect attraction to the six major types of traditional-style, residential light bulbs and implications for insect survival and light pollution"].

In the study conducted by Michael J. Justice, Teresa C. Justice et al. (2021), Figure 2 Nightly total captures by bulb type. For each night entered into the average, the total number of captures was divided by the hours of darkness that evening.

Which Color of LED Light Would Attract More Bugs?

Recent research explored whether light color influences insect attraction. A study found that higher color temperature blue-white LEDs, emitting more blue light, attracted more insects than lower color temperature LEDs. Additionally, bulbs emitting less short-wavelength light, including blue, attracted fewer flying terrestrial insects.

If minimizing bugs is your goal, it may be wise to avoid these color options. [Explore further in the article "The colour temperature and placement of LED lighting near rivers can reduce attraction of flying adult caddisflies" & "Tuning the white light spectrum of light emitting diode lamps to reduce attraction of nocturnal arthropods" ].

Alternative Solution – Color Tunable LED Lights

Opt for LED lights with color tunable settings to experiment and find the optimal color for bug prevention.

PaneraLux offer color tunable led underwater pool lights and garden lights for you.

Starting with cooler tones like blue or green and observing their impact on insect activity can guide your choice.

Additional Tips for a Bug-Free Environment

While LED light color is a crucial factor, complement it with other bug-repelling measures:

Maintain Proper Hygiene

Regularly clean your pool and ensure proper water maintenance to discourage insect breeding.

Strategic Landscaping

Place plants known for their bug-repelling properties around your pool area.

 

In conclusion, selecting the right LED color is a step towards creating a bug-free environment. Combine this choice with good maintenance practices and thoughtful landscaping to craft an atmosphere that enhances your pool and garden experience.

PaneraLux offers professional pool and garden led strips, we are experts in the field of LED knowledge. If you have any need, feel free to email us or click the icon in the bottom right corner, Chat with us and you can get professional advice soon.