Insects Don’t Swarm at LED Lights 0 ▲ Outside My Window 1 hour ago · Nature · hide Insects swarm at gas station light, July 2006, (photo by cgpgrey, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons) 3 November 2026 Remember when you used to encounter swarms of insects around outdoor electric lights? Their well known attraction to outdoor lights is used by entomologists and moth lovers to conduct insect surveys. All you need is a light and a white sheet to see who’s flying at night. Light trapping for insects at Maui (photo by Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons) Nowadays, if you want to attract insects, you have to be picky about the light you use. As everyone changes over to LED lights, we see the color difference but we can’t see the crucial difference in insect attraction between incandescent and LED. Odd one out, LED streetlight by John Goldsmith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Our guide Roland Rumm on the WINGS Veracruz trip explained what happens with insects in the switch to LED lights. His family has an outdoor dining space that is well lit with… Commenting on Bubbles has been removed. Why? If you want to talk about this post, write to the author, use the comments on their blog if it has them, or reply with a "RE:" post on your own blog. Suggestions? feedback@bubbles.town
