Certain colors may repel insects.
Gardening and outdoor activities in the summer can be ruined when bugs threaten. A buzzing mosquito that won't go away can drive you crazy. A horse fly can cause a serious bite. Some insects can send you to the hospital. There are ways to make yourself less attractive to insects. Certain colors may actually repel them. Does this Spark an idea?
Blue and Green
Blue-green, perhaps painted on ceilings and walls, will repel many insects including bees, wasps, mosquitoes, and black flies. It is common in the South to see window sills and porches painted "haint blue" as it is called. According to Howard Garret of Natural Organic Gardening and Living, "haint blue" is not a scientifically proven color to repel insects. In South Carolina low country folklore, however, the belief is rooted in a cultural custom. It is believed the color not only repels insects, but also evil spirits.
Dark Colors
White has been thought to be a preferable color to repel most insects because flies and mosquitoes prefer dark colors like brown, navy blue, and black. According to The New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers University, dark colors will attract mosquitoes because dark colors trap heat from the body that contains carbon dioxide. Wearing a white shirt instead of a black one won't necessarily prevent a bite, but it certainly may help.
Light Colors
While dark colors may attract some insects, they may not be alluring to bees. According to Janice D. Green of queenbee.com, bees are repelled by dark colors because they may signify an animal threatening them. Green maintains that light, but not bright colors, repel bees. It appears bees are attracted to bright colors because they can confuse bees because they are similar to vibrant flowers that symbolize pollination and lure bees into a garden.
Yellow Bug Light
You might often see insects swarming a porch light on a dark night. According to Pest Cemetery, insects are attracted to lights that radiate ultraviolet and blue light. These include black and florescent lights. Pest Cemetery maintains that yellow bug lights are extremely effective, because yellow is a color many insects simply cannot see, so they simply will not be attracted to a yellow light.
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