The Colour of Lights and Its Impact on Pest Control

Be it at home or outdoors, you would have probably seen flying insects such as moths, houseflies, and flying ants frantically buzzing around artificial lights or even organically. Unfortunately, when light fixtures are located in places where there is a lot of human activity, such as homes and food retail businesses, they may increase the risk of pest infestation through attraction. That is because the lights practically illuminate the way to food and water sources in those premises. As flies carry a whole range of disease-causing pathogens that pose threats to human health, pest control experts are always searching for enhanced ways to get rid of them. As such, knowing what properties of these lights that make them so attractive to houseflies have been of great interest to pest control specialists as it offers opportunities for pest control innovations.

Compared to other fly control solutions, such as insect repellents and flyzappers, light traps can provide a more effective solution to ensure food safety while reducing the spread of food-borne diseases such as salmonella and E.Coli.

Rentokil shares artificial light attracts flies into traps and what are the various fly control options to get rid of flies effectively.

The Reasons Why Artificial Lights Are So Attractive to Flies

While there is not a full scientific explanation as to why flies are so drawn to artificial lights, there are several theories that may explain why.

Firstly, one theory is phototaxis - which describes how animals respond to light. An animal is considered positively phototactic if they move towards a light source. On the other hand, negatively phototactic ones move away from the light. Positively phototactic pests, such as flies and moths, are possibly attracted to artificial lights. This is because it helps with their navigation and sense of direction. Secondly, as many insects often use a natural light source like the sun to make their way around, they may have mistaken artificial lights for it. Not only that but artificial light also ensures their safety as it is usually located at higher grounds away from dangers that threaten flies.

Thirdly, another theory is the colour of the artificial lights. Flies can see light wavelengths in the range from 300 to 600 nanometres (nm) which means that they perceive white, blue, green and ultraviolet (UV) as light. As such, that they are drawn to bright white and blue colours that are commonly emitted by white incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs.

The Impact of the Colour of Lights on Pest Control

While there is still much debate about a fly’s biological attraction to light, its attraction to certain colours has been utilised to create light traps for many years. With the introduction of LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights, pest control specialists have found an even more effective method of getting rid of flies.

Flies are especially sensitive to light wavelengths in the 300 to 400 nm range - that is where UV light is. Human eyes cannot detect UV light. This means any source that emits UV light in an urban environment stands out to flies. As LED lights are able to emit UV lights more powerfully than traditional light sources, they have proven to attract insects to traps even better.

LED flytraps are particularly useful for commercial spaces that are at risk of fly infestations. Examples include the hospitality, food retail industries and high dependency businesses such as food manufacturing and pharmaceutical plants. Insect repellents may contaminate food and risk safety, while DIY pest remedies are ineffective and lack of efficacy control. In addition, most businesses are regulated for safety compliance and penalties and business health may be compromised. As the design of flytraps is continuously refined, they offer a safer and discrete way for commercial businesses to prevent fly infestations in their premises.

You may also like: What colour attracts other pests such as mosquitoes?

How Professional Pest Control Services Can Help

Firstly, engaging a credible and reliable pest control company is essential. It helps especially if your premise is involve in food preparation, processing and consumption. They have specialists performing detailed site survey and assessment of the environment to study factor. They include the structure, integrity, risks and sanitation. Secondly, conduct regular pest detection and identification helps to design relevant and targeted pest treatments. This can help to effectively resolve your pest problem. Thirdly, fly control service typically involves inspection, misting and residual spray, installation of fly control units and pest monitoring. Fourthly, in some cases, where there is a heavy infestation due to user habits, environment conditions or cross infestation, a flush out programme by using small flies foaming is recommended. Finally, the experts will deliver pest trend analysis and reporting. These helps to monitor the condition of the infestation level while keeping good tabs on pest service efficacy.

Rentokil Initial Fly Control LED Technology

An innovative fly control solution to lure and trap flying insects effectively. Additionally, it provides energy cost savings with its LED technology.

• It offers a high attraction output that is optimal and effective for efficient fly catch rate and tested through the “half-life” test.
• Automatically adapts from day to night light environment to reduce energy consumption.
• Four types of range to suit different spaces and business needs that caters for coverage size, design and aesthetics, space limitation and infestation level.
• Longer shelve span of LED lamps, and require 2 tubes (for standard size) to attract, eliminate and encapsulate flies hygienically
• Compliant with legal and health and safety requirements with various research and development findings and testing
• Comes in various colours including blue, red, black, silver and champagne to complement the interior and décor of the premise

Integrating adult flies control with foaming solution

Flies infestation occurs base on various reasons. Firstly, it links with hygiene and sanitation standard of the environment. This includes presence of waste, foul smell or odour, food scrapes and debris, natural food source that attract flies. Secondly, water and moisture is a common factor resulting from pest infestation. This is inevitable especially in food preparation premises where washing of utensils, hands and food ingredients take place.

Thirdly, the structure condition and integrity matters. Flies can easily enter through any holes, gaps, openings and crevices due to wear and tear or poor user habits. Fourthly, most of us tend to focus on physical problem and eliminating adult flies population. We often neglect the root source, such as the breeding larvae at hot spots. This leads to poor facility maintenance, long-term build-up of grime and grease and lack of pest detection. Hence, it is essential to also control flies infestation by eliminating the larvae breeding on areas. These include grease traps, drains, gulley, carts and trolleys and along any gaps and grooves among the floor and edges.

The small flies foaming targets breeding areas that lack housekeeping. These locations have decaying matters and odour that attracts flies to hide and breed. It uses a combination of foaming agent and residual spraying. This helps to enhance reach at narrow spaces, gaps and difficult to reach treatment areas. Comparing to liquid form that is dense and lack of adhesive, foam can stick on surfaces better. Thus, it increases the efficacy effect. It is safe to apply in food establishment as it utilises bacteria to eliminate organic matters that flies feed.

Read also: How do you control fly infestation?

Rentokil Singapore offers a range of expert pest control services for homes and businesses! Call us at (65) 6347 8138 for a pest control solution today.