Bugs can be a nuisance around homes and businesses, flying around light fixtures and getting inside. Some types of light bulbs attract more bugs than others. Using bulbs that don’t draw in as many insects can help reduce the number that end up around your lights.
Certain colors and types of bulbs tend to be less attractive to bugs. Bulbs that emit light higher on the color spectrum, like blue, violet and UV lights, attract the most bugs since they resemble the sun’s rays. Bulbs that give off yellow, orange and red wavelengths are less attractive. LED and fluorescent bulbs that have a more “pure” colored light rather than emitting a broad spectrum also attract fewer insects.
Here is a quick overview of which light bulb colors and types are least attractive to bugs:
– Yellow bulbs – These emit a monochromatic wavelength that is less attractive to most flying insects.
– Orange/amber bulbs – Also give off a pure wavelength that does not attract bugs as much.
– Red bulbs – Red wavelengths are less attractive to many bugs compared to blue/UV light.
– Warm white LEDs – These give off light skewed to the red/orange end of the spectrum.
– Cool white fluorescents – While these contain some blue wavelengths, the light is more pure than incandescents.
– Coated bulbs – Yellow “bug light” coatings filter out wavelengths that attract insects.
To minimize bugs around lights, choosing bulbs along these lines can be helpful. Read on for more details on why some bulbs attract more bugs and how to choose the best types to reduce insects around your lighting.
Why Are Some Light Bulbs More Attractive to Bugs?
Many flying insects are drawn to light sources at night. But some wavelengths and colors of light are more attractive to them than others. Understanding why this happens can help guidechoices for lighting that will be less of an insect magnet.
Ultraviolet Wavelengths
One of the main reasons certain bulbs attract more bugs is because they emit ultraviolet (UV) light. The sun gives off UV rays, which many insects are adapted to navigate by. When artificial lights replicate these UV wavelengths, like some fluorescent bulbs or blacklights, bugs mistake them for the sun’s light and swarm around them.
UV light essentially signals “daytime” to nocturnal bugs. Since many bugs are most active at dawn and dusk, UV-rich light sources can overly excite them at night when they should be resting.
Broad Spectrum Light
Another factor is bulbs that cast a wide spectrum of many colors/wavelengths, like incandescent and halogen bulbs. This bright white light contains a lot of short ultraviolet and blue wavelengths that bugs are sensitive to. It essentially mimics the full spectrum of sunlight bug are attracted to.
LED and fluorescent lights that emit a more narrow bandwidth of light wavelengths are less attractive to insects. They do not replicate the broad spectrum of sunlight that draws bugs in.
Blue and Violet Wavelengths
Blue and violet wavelengths, found in many white light sources, are also very attractive to insects. These high energy waves are similar to the UV rays bugs use for navigation. Blue/violet light essentially signals them to become active and investigate the light source.
Yellow/Orange/Red Wavelengths
On the opposite end of the spectrum, longer wavelength yellow, orange and red lights are less attractive to many bugs. These colors contain fewer of the short waves they utilize for finding food and mates.
While yellow/orange/red lights will still draw in some bugs, they are significantly less attractive than full spectrum white and bluish lights. Properly colored monochromatic LEDs can help deter insects.
Best Bulb Colors & Types to Reduce Bugs
Knowing why some light wavelengths attract more insects leads to a few ideal choices of bulbs and colors to minimize this problem:
Yellow Bulbs
Yellow colored bulbs are one of the best options for deterring bugs. They emit one narrow band of longer yellow wavelengths, avoiding most of the short waves that attract bugs. Yellow LED bulbs are a good modern choice. Sodium vapor bulbs also give off monochromatic yellow light.
Orange/Amber Bulbs
Similarly, orange and amber colored bulbs only give off light in this warmer, longer wavelength range. This pure orange hue contains almost none of the short blue/UV waves that stimulate bugs. Amber LED bulbs are a good bet for reducing insects around lighting.
Red Bulbs
Red bulbs are also an option since their glow is concentrated in the long wavelength red region, avoiding blue/UV. However, red light can more easily distort human color vision at night. Amber or yellow may provide a better choice.
Warm White LED Bulbs
Many LED bulbs are now available in differing color temperatures. Warm white LEDs emit light skewed toward the red and orange end of the visible spectrum, while avoiding most short blue light. These are a good LED option for deterring insects.
Cool White Fluorescents
While all fluorescents emit some UV wavelengths, the phosphor coatings in cool white tubes filter out more of the insect attracting short waves. The light ends up more narrowly concentrated in the blue/green region rather than casting a wide rainbow.
Yellow Bug Light Coatings
You can also find clear incandescent and LED bulbs treated with yellow tinted coatings to filter out blue/UV light. These colored bug light coverings create a yellow glow less attractive to flying insects.
Types of Light Bulbs to Avoid
On the other side, there are a few common light bulb types you’ll want to avoid using in areas where you don’t want to attract bugs:
Incandescent Bulbs
Old fashioned incandescent bulbs cast a very broad spectrum of visible wavelengths, including a lot of blue and UV light bugs are attracted to. All that invisible UV gets turned into extra visible light.
Halogen Bulbs
Closely related to incandescents, halogen bulbs also emit a bright broad spectrum glow with plenty of bug attracting short wavelengths.
Compact Fluorescents
CFLs give off more UV than fluorescent tubes. And the bulky diffusers allow this to escape. The phosphor coating also produces a wide spectrum with more blue components to draw in insects.
Blacklights/UV Lamps
Purposely emitting mainly UV, these special bulbs overwhelmingly attract all kinds of night bugs. The invisible ultraviolet glow essentially mimics daytime conditions to them.
Blue Bulbs
While blue is an attractive decorative color, blue colored bulbs contain abundant short wavelengths bugs navigate by. Pure blue light will pull in lots of airborne insects.
Where to Use Bug Deterring Lights Outdoors
Installing bulbs with colors and characteristics that attract fewer bugs can be helpful in many outdoor lighting applications:
Porch Lights
Yellow or amber LEDs work well for porch lights by doorways. They provide visibility without as many bugs swarming the fixtures and entryways.
Yard/Garden Lights
Colored bug lights along garden pathways or in yards help avoid insects clustering around where people are walking. Warmer LEDs around patios are also a good choice.
Security Lighting
Bug deterring bulbs can be used in security spotlights, path lighting and floodlights to illuminate areas without attracting swarms of bugs that reduce visibility.
Garages and Sheds
Reducing insect attraction around exterior garage and shed lights helps prevent bugs from getting inside and breeding. Yellow LEDs work well here.
Barns and Stables
Animal shelters like barns and stables benefit from lighting that minimizes attracting even more flies and other pests. Amber or yellow bulbs help improve the environment.
Parking Areas
Lights in parking lots, driveways and other vehicle areas should use bulbs that limit bugs swarming and being drawn in front of cars. Longer wavelength LEDs are a good choice.
Tips for Minimizing Bugs Around Bulbs
Beyond just choosing the best colored bulbs, there are some other tips that can help reduce flying insects clustering around your lighting:
Elevate Lights
Position lamps and fixtures as high up as possible. Bugs are drawn less to lights above ground level than those right at ground level. Elevated lights also makes insects less likely to fly directly in people’s faces.
Shield Lights
Use shielded fixtures that limit the light shining out to broader directions. More focused spotlighting deters bugs better than widely dispersed glow. Make sure fixtures have screens if needed to further limit insect entry.
Use Low Wattage Bulbs
When possible, choose lower wattage bulbs that don’t shine as brightly. Brighter lights tend to attract more insects from longer distances. Keep intensity lower to avoid becoming a beacon.
Turn Off When Not Needed
Don’t leave lighting on for extended periods when not required. The longer lights are on through the night, the more bugs will be continually drawn in. Use motion detectors or timers to automatically shut off.
Keep Areas Clean
Avoid having sources of decaying matter, standing water, overgrown plants and other elements that breed bugs. Reducing insect populations around your home makes fewer available to be attracted by lights.
Use Supplemental Yellow Bug Lights
Pairing brighter lighting with supplemental yellow bulbs in key locations can work well. The yellow lights help deter bugs from entry points while not leaving people in the dark.
Conclusion
Some types of light bulbs attract way more annoying insects than others. By choosing bulbs that emit yellow, amber and reddish light instead of bright white light, you can avoid wavelengths that overly excite bugs. Warm white LEDs, sodium vapor and fluorescent tubes are also better options than broad spectrum incandescent and halogen bulbs. With the right lighting, you can discourage swarms of insects from invading areas where you don’t want them. Carefully using bug deterring bulbs in key outdoor locations can create a more pleasant environment for both you and the bugs.
| Bulb Type | Bug Attraction Level |
|---|---|
| Yellow | Low |
| Orange/Amber | Low |
| Red | Medium-Low |
| Warm White LED | Medium-Low |
| Cool White Fluorescent | Medium |
| Incandescent | High |
| Halogen | High |
| Compact Fluorescent | High |
| Blacklight/UV | Very High |
| Blue | Very High |
