This hidden smart light trick stops bugs from getting in your house – here’s how it works
Expert reveals how changing the colour of your lights can keep insects outside
Due to the current UK heatwave, I’ve been trying to cool my home down by opening my windows and back door. But doing that has resulted in a massive influx of bugs getting into my house and buzzing around while I’m trying to work and relax.
It turns out my method of whacking at flies with a tea towel and yelling at them to leave through the door they flew in from isn’t particularly effective. As Google searches for ‘insects in home’ have increased by 138% since last year, this is a common problem many people are having.
Aside from an open door apparently being incredibly inviting, the lights in your home could be the main thing that are attracting bugs from entering your home. But according to smart home experts at Tapo, it’s not the brightness of your lights that are drawing them inside, but the colour of them.
According to Michael Fernandes, tech expert at Tapo, the colour of your lights matter much more than you think. “Different wavelengths can attract different volumes of insects and you could discourage them from entering your home by making one simple change,” he says.
To dissuade bugs from getting into your home – and to use this hidden light trick – you’ll need to have smart lights set-up around your house. But what colours should you use? Fernandes states that studies have found that blue lights “offer the most attractive wavelength for insects, with green following closely behind with wavelengths ranging from 450-570 nanometres.”
He goes on to say that “several insects like moths, ants and spiders travel within short wavelengths, meaning they’re likely to find no issue navigating into and through your home if hues of violet, blue and green are present.”
So, if your favourite smart light colour is blue, green or purple, it’s best to change it up, especially when the weather is hot and you’re more inclined to open your windows and doors. Instead, Fernandes recommends red, yellow and amber lights.
As he explains, “Red light, by contrast, has a much longer wavelength between 620-700 nanometers, making navigation much more difficult as the light does not scatter at the same level… Yellow and amber lights perform similarly, so if you opt for warmer-toned lighting in the summer months throughout your house, you’re likely to see fewer insects within the space.”
To adjust the colour and brightness of your lighting, head to your smart light app of choice where you can find warmer options and tones to stop those pesky flies from getting into your house.
