No sooner do you switch on the light than a flock of insects buzzes towards you when the window is open. We are not the only ones who find it annoying when the uninvited guests flutter around our heads. Artificial light is also harmful to the health of animals. For the sake of both, we should therefore avoid using light that attracts insects. But why does artificial light attract mosquitoes and bugs in the first place?
The explanation is quite simple: insects orient themselves to moonlight at night. They use the moon as a guideline for orientation, so to speak. If there is a bright light in your garden, the brightest point for the insects is no longer the moon, but the lamp. The insects try to orient their flight path to the lamp and consequently circle around it. This effect is strongest with high-pressure mercury vapour lamps and metal halide lamps.
How to Prevent Light from Attracting Mosquitoes
Light with a high yellow, orange and red content reduces insect attraction. This is because these colour components have a darker effect on the eyes of the small bugs. The lower the UV content of the light, the more likely insects are to stay away. Since most LED lamps do not emit UV radiation, they are more insect-friendly than conventional light sources. And the positive side effect: the bedroom also remains free of mosquitoes and co.
