Do LED lights attract insects?
Yes some LED lights can attract insects but it is a lot fewer than the standard fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. Insects are naturally drawn to light and they have highly sensitive eyes which are receptive to UV (ultraviolet) light which is a bluey/purple colour.
The science behind light attraction
Fluorescent and incandescent bulbs generate a lot of heat and emit large amounts of UV which is attractive to most insects.
LED’s in contrast tend to give a more warm light and a minimal amount of UV. LED’s are more energy efficient, produce much less heat and the colour they emit is predominantly in the warmer tones (yellow, orange, red) and are less appealing to insects.
What kind of bugs do LED lights attract?
Cool white/daylight - blue, violet with some UV - high level of insect attraction
Warm white - yellow and green- medium level of insect attraction
Yellow/amber (below 2200K)- yellow, amber and red - low level of insect attraction
Specialized bug lights - Amber/deep yellow - very low attraction rate for insects
The insects most attracted to light in general, with the highest preference being UV are moths, mosquitoes and midges.
Standard LED’s attract far fewer mosquitoes as they prefer the old mercury or UV light.
How to stop LED lights from attracting bugs
Change the colour temperature - the most effective way would be to swap to a lower colour temperature bulb, preferably below 2700K
Go amber/yellow; these colours minimize the blue spectrum and makes them invisible to insects.
Warm white is better than cool white so if you need a brighter light you should avoid the daylight colour
Strategic placement and shielding - place the lighting away from entry points such as doorways so the insects are drawn away from the property.
Use motion sensors/timers - this helps as the lights are only on when necessary and gives the insects less time to find the light.
Do LED lights attract spiders?
Led lights will not attract spiders, however they do attract the spiders' food source, the flying insects and moths etc which means you are likely to see spider webs so they can take advantage of this.