Do LED bulbs really draw less bugs?

[JohnR66]

I've heard this somewhere. Just wandering if anyone has actually tested this. I have CFL bulbs in the front and back porch fixtures that are left on all the time. They are not perfectly sealed and after a few months, they collect so many tiny bugs that it obscures the light.

 

[slebans]

I live in the city but am surrounded by forest. LED bulbs attract far less bugs than CFL or Incandescent. Certain bugs that are attracted to CFL do not go anywhere near the LED bulbs while many bug species seem simply attracted to bright light.

24 bulbs stay on all night - a mixture of CFL and LED - so I have a couple years of first person experience regarding this issue.

 

[SemiMan]

I live in the city but am surrounded by forest. LED bulbs attract far less bugs than CFL or Incandescent. Certain bugs that are attracted to CFL do not go anywhere near the LED bulbs while many bug species seem simply attracted to bright light.

24 bulbs stay on all night - a mixture of CFL and LED - so I have a couple years of first person experience regarding this issue.

Any thoughts why some are not attracted to LED?

Increased blue energy in LED?

Differences in red?


Semiman

 

[DaMeatMan]

Maybe something to do with the fact that they do not emit in the UV or IR spectrum?

 

[JohnR66]

Bugs seem to be attracted by UV, but not sure how the blue spike in the LED spectrum would attract them. White LEDs have very little output outside the visible range. I'd be using WW LED bulbs. I thought I'd ask before heading off to HD for some more Cree bulbs and dragging out the ladder.

 

[slebans]

Any thoughts why some are not attracted to LED?

Increased blue energy in LED?

Differences in red?

Semiman

Everything I read points to UV light as the most likely culprit. But as I said, many insects are simply attracted to bright light.
One research paper I remember from years ago stated that Infrared was sensed by the insects as a heat source for use during the cool nights.
Honestly, I do not know the correct/entire answer. What I can state from testing at my house is that LED bulbs will have less than 50% of the bugs surrounding them that CFL or Incandescent have. Further, many species of bugs will never be seen around the LED bulbs versus a consistent presence around my CFL bulbs. Testing was performed several times over a 2 year period. Three separate locations contained two identical fixtures located within 10 ft of each other.

 

[slebans]

Bugs seem to be attracted by UV, but not sure how the blue spike in the LED spectrum would attract them. White LEDs have very little output outside the visible range. I'd be using WW LED bulbs. I thought I'd ask before heading off to HD for some more Cree bulbs and dragging out the ladder.

I wanted to replace 18 bulbs lining my driveway with the new Cree bulbs but I have serious concerns regarding the sticky/tacky coating on the globe portion. I put a couple of the 5000K units in service last week but the bugs are just beginning to show for this season.
I will post back in this thread next month when the bugs are out in full force.

 

[SemiMan]

As always appreciate the information! .... I may need to look further into the research. It sounds interesting.

Semiman

 

[jtr1962]

This might explain a few things. Insects seem to have photoreceptors for UV, blue, and green. Tests showed insects are much more strongly attracted to 410 nm than to 435, 450, or 470 nm. CFLs have a strong spike in the low 400s IIRC. The triphosphor also emits a strong peak in the green area. That's two prominent spikes at wavelengths which coincide with insect photoreceptors, whereas LED have none. The LED yellow hump and blue spike are both not near the peak sensitivity of insect photoreceptors. Anyway, it's good to know LED bulbs attract far fewer insects than CFLs. I was planning to convert some 300W halogen floodlights to LED.

 

[TEEJ]

As its so hard to get an LED to produce UV light, and the UV part of the spectrum seems to be what attracts insects to lights in general, LEDs seem to attract fewer insects.

 

[slebans]

This might explain a few things.

Thanks for the link! I will test both the Cree 5000K and their 2700K bulbs to see if there is any difference in attracting insects. Most of my exterior bulbs are 2700-3000K but I also have two 4000K Fluorescent wall packs. I want to standardize on one color temperature - I prefer cool white for exterior use - so if cool yields less bugs I will convert to that temperature.

 

[Illum]

LEDs emit UV, which is then converted to the yellow we see through the phosphor. In my outdoor fixtures it seem to attract just as much bugs, if not more, than compact fluorescent.

 

[SemiMan]

LEDs emit UV, which is then converted to the yellow we see through the phosphor. In my outdoor fixtures it seem to attract just as much bugs, if not more, than compact fluorescent.

They emit blue, not UV. With the rare exception (Soraa), they emit no UV.

 

[Slazmo]

I find that on the Gold Coast here in Aus, when I had the 36 watt flurotube it attracted all sorts of phototactic insects - some monsters if anyone knows the stories about Australia...

Since binning the power hungry tube and converting to a batten holder and a 10 watt LED 'BC' bulb with 900 lumens at 3500K temp I find that I am attracting hardly any insects at all... So now I can sit quite happily in the garage to tinker to all times of the night without accumulating a band of winged / walking pests like moths, water beetles, mozzies, zombies, drop bears and bogans.

LED seems to be the friendly way to go at the moment!

 

[Illum]

They emit blue, not UV. With the rare exception (Soraa), they emit no UV.

So this would mean theres some other wavelength in "Neutral white" that attracts the moths, flies, and stag beetles from the yard..... :thinking:

 

[idleprocess]

In my experience, 4000k and 5000k LED's attract far fewer bugs than incandescent and CFL. The geckos crawling along the walls at night don't seem to appreciate this...

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I wanted to replace 18 bulbs lining my driveway with the new Cree bulbs but I have serious concerns regarding the sticky/tacky coating on the globe portion.

That silicone coating can be peeled off. I accidentally scratched one and a small slice of the coating peeled away.

 

[wedlpine]

That silicone coating can be peeled off. I accidentally scratched one and a small slice of the coating peeled away.

That's good to know.

 

[brickbat]

I accidentally scratched one and a small slice of the coating peeled away.

I did the same as I pulled my 1st Cree lamp out of the packaging. I proceeded to peel all the silicone coating off. It might be a small difference, but it can't help but make it brighter and cooler-running. And I am using these outdoors as well, and was concerned about the tacky coating getting dirt-covered...

 

[BirdofPrey]

In my experience, 4000k and 5000k LED's attract far fewer bugs than incandescent and CFL. The geckos crawling along the walls at night don't seem to appreciate this...

Well, I can state that anyone that wants to test the bug/LED theory out can take a zebralight headlamp on a night hike anywhere in the Hoosier National Forest. They will find that there are a plethora of bugs that will gladly dive bomb and swirl around THAT LED light.

Its bad enough that when hiking at night once it gets warm I just switch over to hand held lights and lose the conveniance of headlamps.