Do LED lights attract insects more than incandescent?

Understanding Insect Attraction

LED lights emit light across the entire visible spectrum, but also produce significant amounts of ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light, which are invisible to the human eye. This is because LEDs often operate at high temperatures, which cause them to emit a broad range of electromagnetic radiation. In contrast, incandescent bulbs primarily emit visible light and some infrared radiation.

Measuring UV and IR Emissions

Studies have shown that LEDs can emit up to 30% of their total light output as UV radiation, which is significantly higher than incandescent bulbs. For example, a 10-watt LED may produce around 3 watts of UV radiation, which is equivalent to the UV emission of a 60-watt incandescent bulb. This increased UV emission is likely a major contributor to the increased attraction of insects to LED lights.

Minimizing Insect Attraction with LEDs

While it’s not possible to completely eliminate the attraction of insects to LEDs, there are some strategies that can help minimize the problem. For example, using LED lights with a high color temperature (around 5000K) can reduce the amount of infrared radiation emitted, which can help decrease insect attraction. Additionally, using LED lights with a UV-absorbing coating or filter can help reduce the amount of UV radiation emitted, which can also help decrease insect attraction.