Bugs really like LEDs

Xringer · 09-06-13, 12:41 PM

Correction: LED Lights Do Attract Bugs. | Energy Circle

I had read somewhere, that LED lamps didn't attract bugs.
Turns out that may have been incorrect..

Exalta-STA · 09-07-13, 09:58 AM

What I can say though is that ever since I switched to LEDs 6200 kelvin and 3000 kelvin, I have less bug problems...and this is from someone living in the tropics where a single light can attract hundreds of bugs

incandescent = bug nightmare
CFL = bug magnet
LED = a few strays now and ten

Xringer · 09-07-13, 03:09 PM

Maybe the side-by-side testing had the blubs too close together?
One on either side of a door? Maybe 3 to 4 feet?

Perhaps the incandescent was pulling them in,
and some of them flew over to the LED to check it out.?.

If bugs really like blue light, this chart seems to be showing,
that a white LED has a lot more blue emitted.
So, the LEDs would be worse than the incans?? Something is amiss here..

~~
Edit:
From what I've been able to find out, warmer colors=less bugs..

So, these 2700k LEDs might be a good choice..
Cree 9.5-Watt (65W) Soft White (2700K) BR30 Dimmable LED Flood Light Bulb (4-Pack)-BBR30-06527FLF-12DE26-1U110 at The Home Depot

Exalta-STA · 09-07-13, 08:53 PM

Hi Xringer,

Yes somethings definitely wrong. Ever since I switched to LEDs, the less insect problems I had. I only use the white and the yellows. It replaced the CFLs of the same color.

The CFLs both inside and outside the house attracted spiders, flying bugs, moths, and swarms of flying termite drones...and every insect who had the capability to go near it.

Changing to LED cleared it all up. No insect whatsoever or if there's any, it's just a solitary cricket checking out the door.

Exalta-STA · 09-07-13, 08:57 PM

Hey I have this crazy theory, it might be the heat of the CFL and incandescent lights. The old bulbs I had before had so much heat that you can feel it a few feet away. The LEDs i have now are running cool.

Xringer · 09-07-13, 09:30 PM

Radiant heat as felt by humans doesn't seem to travel very far.
I can stand 3 or 4 feet from a 2kW heating element and not feel it.
Since the energy emitted from the heating element, isn't felt at a distance,
it must be getting absorbed by the air. Air gets hot and goes upwards.

Maybe insects have better heat sensors than us?
We are warm blooded, so our skin sensors don't really feel weak radiant heat.
I assume that an insect's body temperature is a bit above the outdoor temp.
Insect thermoregulation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Or maybe it's a matter of scale. When you are 100 feet from a very large fire,
(Like a forest fire) you can sometimes feel the direct radiant heat.

Maybe they can sense heat at much greater ranges?
To them, a 100w blub might seem like a forest fire..

```
One other thing just occurred to me. Remember those yellow blubs?
Bug free? Maybe those 2700k LEDs look yellow to insects?

I wonder if the yellow bulbs look too much like a flame to a bug?

If you light a camp fire, it keeps the bugs away. They don't like smoke?

Exalta-STA · 09-07-13, 09:53 PM

Hmm yes, the yellow produced in LED bulbs are almost the same spectrum as a flame.

Xringer · 06-19-18, 01:43 PM

I'm not sure if I posted elsewhere on this topic. Maybe I did, but here's what I've learned lately..
After installing some outdoor LED lighting on my garage, I had a real bad bug problem!
The bugs were leaving a large amount of droppings on the fixture and on the green sidling.
The mess was so bad, it took a lot of work to clean up. Soap, brush, water hose & etc..

I Put them on timers and them, but soon went to an IR motion sensor..
They go on for about 5 minutes when motion is detected in the driveway..
Mostly, they never come on during most nights..

For me, this is the only way to use outdoor lighting in this area.. Too much bug poop..

NiHaoMike · 06-20-18, 09:28 AM

Sounds like a prime location to install a bug zapper?

Xringer · 06-20-18, 12:17 PM

Not needed if you use motion sensors. Which I believe provides better security and safety.
Let the bugs go to poop on the LED street lights.

09-06-13, 12:41 PM	#1
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Bugs really like LEDs Correction: LED Lights Do Attract Bugs. \| Energy Circle I had read somewhere, that LED lamps didn't attract bugs. Turns out that may have been incorrect.. __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

09-07-13, 03:09 PM	#3
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Maybe the side-by-side testing had the blubs too close together? One on either side of a door? Maybe 3 to 4 feet? Perhaps the incandescent was pulling them in, and some of them flew over to the LED to check it out.?. If bugs really like blue light, this chart seems to be showing, that a white LED has a lot more blue emitted. So, the LEDs would be worse than the incans?? Something is amiss here.. ~~ Edit: From what I've been able to find out, warmer colors=less bugs.. So, these 2700k LEDs might be a good choice.. Cree 9.5-Watt (65W) Soft White (2700K) BR30 Dimmable LED Flood Light Bulb (4-Pack)-BBR30-06527FLF-12DE26-1U110 at The Home Depot __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less.. Last edited by Xringer; 09-07-13 at 03:49 PM.. Reason: More info..

09-07-13, 09:30 PM	#6
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Radiant heat as felt by humans doesn't seem to travel very far. I can stand 3 or 4 feet from a 2kW heating element and not feel it. Since the energy emitted from the heating element, isn't felt at a distance, it must be getting absorbed by the air. Air gets hot and goes upwards. Maybe insects have better heat sensors than us? We are warm blooded, so our skin sensors don't really feel weak radiant heat. I assume that an insect's body temperature is a bit above the outdoor temp. Insect thermoregulation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Or maybe it's a matter of scale. When you are 100 feet from a very large fire, (Like a forest fire) you can sometimes feel the direct radiant heat. Maybe they can sense heat at much greater ranges? To them, a 100w blub might seem like a forest fire.. ``` One other thing just occurred to me. Remember those yellow blubs? Bug free? Maybe those 2700k LEDs look yellow to insects? I wonder if the yellow bulbs look too much like a flame to a bug? If you light a camp fire, it keeps the bugs away. They don't like smoke? __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

06-19-18, 01:43 PM	#8
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	I'm not sure if I posted elsewhere on this topic. Maybe I did, but here's what I've learned lately.. After installing some outdoor LED lighting on my garage, I had a real bad bug problem! The bugs were leaving a large amount of droppings on the fixture and on the green sidling. The mess was so bad, it took a lot of work to clean up. Soap, brush, water hose & etc.. I Put them on timers and them, but soon went to an IR motion sensor.. They go on for about 5 minutes when motion is detected in the driveway.. Mostly, they never come on during most nights.. For me, this is the only way to use outdoor lighting in this area.. Too much bug poop.. __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

06-20-18, 09:28 AM	#9
NiHaoMike Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,154 Thanks: 14 Thanked 257 Times in 241 Posts	Sounds like a prime location to install a bug zapper? __________________ To my surprise, shortly after Naomi Wu gave me a bit of fame for making good use of solar power, Allie Moore got really jealous of her...

09-07-13, 09:58 AM	#2
Exalta-STA Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2012 Location: Philippines Posts: 107 Thanks: 12 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	What I can say though is that ever since I switched to LEDs 6200 kelvin and 3000 kelvin, I have less bug problems...and this is from someone living in the tropics where a single light can attract hundreds of bugs incandescent = bug nightmare CFL = bug magnet LED = a few strays now and ten

09-07-13, 08:53 PM	#4
Exalta-STA Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2012 Location: Philippines Posts: 107 Thanks: 12 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Hi Xringer, Yes somethings definitely wrong. Ever since I switched to LEDs, the less insect problems I had. I only use the white and the yellows. It replaced the CFLs of the same color. The CFLs both inside and outside the house attracted spiders, flying bugs, moths, and swarms of flying termite drones...and every insect who had the capability to go near it. Changing to LED cleared it all up. No insect whatsoever or if there's any, it's just a solitary cricket checking out the door.

09-07-13, 08:57 PM	#5
Exalta-STA Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2012 Location: Philippines Posts: 107 Thanks: 12 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Hey I have this crazy theory, it might be the heat of the CFL and incandescent lights. The old bulbs I had before had so much heat that you can feel it a few feet away. The LEDs i have now are running cool.

09-07-13, 09:53 PM	#7
Exalta-STA Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2012 Location: Philippines Posts: 107 Thanks: 12 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Hmm yes, the yellow produced in LED bulbs are almost the same spectrum as a flame.

06-20-18, 12:17 PM	#10
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Not needed if you use motion sensors. Which I believe provides better security and safety. Let the bugs go to poop on the LED street lights. __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..