It's the middle of summer, and we've had plenty of time to get to know those annoying bugs who hang out on the patio with us in the evenings. The question is whether to leave the bug-attracting lights on or to turn them off and sit in the dark. We may not even need to make that decision in the end!
Only the ultraviolet, blue, and green hues of the visible light spectrum are visible to insects. Yellow has been a popular color option for insect lights since bugs are unable to see it. Not to be confused with a bug zapper, bug lights merely employ a filtered yellow glass to dissuade bugs better than conventional light bulbs, such as incandescent and CFL bulbs. They do not harm or repel insects. Incandescent bulbs are the worst option for outdoor patio lighting because they heat up the air, which attracts insects. The most efficient LED bulbs are those with warm color temperatures (yellow orange), since they also generate little to no heat. Even more effective red light bulbs don't create enough visible light for people to see with, however.
