Remember when swarms of insects gathered around outdoor electric lights? Entomologists and moth lovers have long used this attraction for light trapping with just a light and white sheet. But as everyone switches to LED lights, the old trick no longer works. Humans see the color difference, but not the crucial difference in insect attraction.
Guide Roland Rumm explained the effect on a WINGS Veracruz trip. His family’s outdoor dining space lost its geckos after switching to LED lights. The geckos were still there, but far fewer insects were attracted to the LEDs, so the geckos had no reason to climb the lights and feed.
Insects navigate by keeping light on their backs, using ultraviolet (UV) cues they mistake for moonlight. Incandescent lights transmit UV, but LEDs do not, so insects are far less attracted to them.
A 2016 University of Bristol, UK study compared incandescent, compact fluorescent and white LEDs. It found LEDs attracted significantly fewer insects, including fewer Culicoides midges, with no difference between cool and warm white LEDs. LEDs may reduce wildlife disturbances and insect-borne diseases while staying more energy efficient than traditional technologies.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing