LED lights are energy-efficient and long-lasting, but they have a downside: they attract spiders. Don’t worry! You don’t need to let that stop you from using these money-saver light bulbs because there are easy ways to keep spiders away.
Why Do LED Lights Attract Spiders?
Have you ever noticed that spiders suddenly appear when you turn on your lights? It can be a pretty creepy sight. But why do LED lights attract spiders?
LED Lights Attract Insects
LED lights provide heat sources. Most insects rely on their infrared vision and can see heat better than light. Since insects are part of a spider’s diet, LED lights attract spiders as a food source.
LED Lights Emit Light
It takes spiders some time to warm up to their surroundings because they are cold-blooded creatures. They are prey-driven and may perceive light as an attractive prey source.
They use their eyes to hunt for food and are drawn to light sources. Light from LED lights will likely encourage spiders to move closer rather than away from it. This is why you’ll likely see them go after an insect near or on your porch light more than they would otherwise.
Light Spectrums
Some wavelengths of light may be more visible to spiders, which is why they’re attracted to them. Spiders have eyes that allow them to detect movement and see other colors that humans cannot see.
Good Space for Webs
It may be hard to believe, but spiders are attracted to the light from LEDs because they provide a suitable space for building webs and catching prey. Spiders decorate their webs with light-reflecting silk as it increases their foraging efficiency—known as the prey-attraction hypothesis.
LED Lights Create Vibration
LED lights emit infrared energy that spiders can pick up with the sensitive hairs on their legs. This can make them feel like something is moving in front of their eyes, even if there is no actual motion.
What LED Lights Colors Attract Spiders?
Some spiders are essentially color-blind but are sensitive to lights of green wavelengths. This is why if you have a garden or lawn, you may have noticed that the spiders start coming out at night when the lights are on.
How to Keep Spiders Away from LED Lights?
It is a common problem: you are sitting around your table, enjoying a nice meal, and suddenly a spider drops from the ceiling onto your plate. You don’t have to live with it! There are several ways to keep spiders at bay and away from your LED lights.
Use Vinegar or Peppermint Oil
Spiders don’t like the smell of vinegar or peppermint oil, so you can use them to keep spiders away from your LED lights. If you have a spray bottle, fill it with a mixture of water and vinegar (about 1 part vinegar to 5 parts water). Spray the area near the light regularly to keep spiders away.
If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can put some peppermint oil on a cotton ball and place it near the light. The strong scent will repel spiders from coming close. You can also use lavender oil since spiders don’t like floral scents.
Keep The Area Clean
If you see a lot of spiders around your LED lights, it is probably because they’re attracted to the bugs that are attracted to your lights. If you want to keep spiders away from your LED lights, then you should keep the area around them clean so that there will be no bugs around for the spiders to eat.
Another way to keep spiders away from LED lights is by using a dehumidifier. Spiders like damp areas, and if you can eliminate those conditions in your home by keeping them dryer, the spiders will have less reason to be there!
You may also want to mop and vacuum regularly and repair any leaks in your roof immediately. This should prevent spiders from breeding inside.
Use Spider-Repellent Sprays or Granules
You can buy repellent sprays at your local hardware store and they are generally available online. Apply the spray directly to the LED light bulb, and it will help keep spiders away from the area around it.
You can apply the granules beneath lighting fixtures or along windowsills where you have noticed spiders hanging out—they create an invisible barrier that keeps insects away without harming them or your home.
Use UV Light Trapping
UV light traps emit ultraviolet light that attracts spiders and insects, which then become trapped within the device’s screen when they fly or enter through it.
Note that UV light traps do not work on all species of spiders. For example, funnel web spiders are not attracted to UV light like other varieties. But spiders feed on insects, so if there are no insects around, there will be no spiders.
Use a Physical Barrier
You can use anything from paper, cardboard, or plastic to prevent spiders from reaching your LED lights. Find out which works best for you. You can try the following:
- Use weather stripping
- Apply silicone sealant to your windows
- Use a mesh screen
- Use a glue trap
- Install LED lighting fixtures
Keep Plants and Bushes Trimmed
Spiders love to hang out in bushes and plants because they offer shadows and food. So, keep the bushes and plants trimmed, so they don’t provide a cozy place for spiders to hide.
If you are worried about the looks of your yard, consider planting some flowers around the outside of your house instead—flowers don’t attract spiders as much as other plants. It may be worth it to consider this option if spiders are becoming a problem.
Use a Bug Zapper
This device uses electricity to kill spiders. It attracts insects with UV light, then electrocutes them with high-voltage wires. Installing one of these devices will make your home less attractive to spiders and reduce the number of them hanging around the area. It can also be effective in trapping and killing insects.
