You may have heard of someone that’s used LED strip lights and has noticed more spiders in their home.
These anecdotes are likely to have you wondering if the lights are to blame.
Do LED lights attract spiders? And if they do, why?
LED strip lights attract spiders, but they aren’t directly responsible. Many bugs prefer more well-lit environments and will gravitate toward LEDs. Spiders follow food sources, so they’re naturally more likely to set up homes where they can find an abundance of bugs to eat.
To help you find out more about spiders and LED strips, I’ll be discussing:
- Why you find more spiders near LED strip lights
- Which colors attract bugs the most
- How to stop spiders from being drawn to LED strip lights
Do LED Lights Attract Spiders?
Spiders are not specifically attracted to LED lights, but smaller bugs are, depending on the color. LED strip lights set to emit the blue-purple UV color ranges are more visible to insects. So these LED lights attract bugs, and then those bugs attract spiders for a feast.
These predators are seeking the best food sources, so they’ll move closer to lights, where they’ll have 24-7 buffet access.
Spiders don’t need to make as much effort if the food comes directly to them, and many insects are naturally and instinctively attracted to light.
They mainly seek out blue light wavelengths, as most insects see in the spectrum of colors within the 300-420 nanometer range, including ultraviolet light.
I have covered the insect’s love of light in more detail here.
The spiders themselves may not be drawn to the light sources in a room, but they’re hunters who will find the best food sources and take advantage of their environment.
Think of spiders as the clean-up crew, making sure that your home isn’t overrun with moths and mosquitoes.
Of course, it may just be that the spiders were already in your home, and your new LED light strips are making it easier to spot them.
What Color Attracts Spiders The Most?
As most bugs and insects are attracted by colors towards the UV light side of the scale, those same colors will lead to an increased spider presence. Shades of blue LED lights attract insects, so blue-purple colors are going to attract more spiders as a result.
Most insects that are attracted to light are using it to navigate at night.
These bugs are much less interested in warm colors, such as yellow light that mimics the midday sun.
Another important factor is the type of bulb you use. As well as being attracted to UV light colors, warmth also tends to attract insects.
That’s why traditional incandescent bulbs would attract a lot of flying insects. An old light bulb would be a lot hotter, so bugs would be drawn to it.
The ultimate light bulbs to attract bugs would therefore be older incandescent bulbs with a blue or purple filter. Bright lights are also an issue, so LEDs offering duller, warm yellows are the way to go to repel insects.
Why Do Spiders Like Purple Light?
Purple LED lights attract spiders and other insects in the same way that blue ones do. Purple light falls on the lower wavelength of light, which are the colors that insects are attracted to.
So LED strips attract spiders more when they’re set to purple because more food sources will be drawn to the lights.
How To Keep Spiders Away From Strip Lights?
Because blue and purple LED lights attract bugs more often, it’s best to keep your LED strip lights set to warmer colors if you want to avoid spiders. Use red, orange, or yellow lights or plain white LED lights. Clean the area frequently to remove the food source of bugs too.
You can also take steps to reduce the heat. While LED lights emit low levels of heat, if you’ve installed your lights in a space with low airflow, consider adding a channel for the strip with a heat sink. This will cool the lights, so they attract spiders less.
Getting rid of the bugs around your strip lights might require the use of a duster or vacuum cleaner.
Ensure that you have removed all signs of insect life, as any remaining tiny body parts or cobwebs could attract new six-legged residents.
If you need to remove your LED strip lights so that you can clean the space more effectively, use a non-abrasive scrubbing brush (like a nail brush or baby hairbrush) to wipe away residual glue.
You can also warm the glue to help it melt with a hairdryer or similar source of warm air that won’t damage the paintwork underneath.
Interestingly, citrus-based adhesive removers are very effective for removing glue and also keeping bugs away.
Many bugs and insects are deterred by citrus-based scents. Be sure to follow my full steps on removing LED strips from a wall.
You can also consider using cedar chips or oils, as these are excellent insect repellents.
Though the presence of spiders can be unnerving, remember that they can actually be a valuable pest control tool.
If a spider is tucked away and isn’t bothering you, then you might decide to let it stick around so it can take care of other flies and bugs.
Final Words
Whenever you use lights in your home, you risk attracting small unwanted lodgers.
Many insects are naturally attracted to light, especially blue wavelengths, so they’re drawn to homes with artificial lighting from screens, bulbs, and LED lighting.
If you’ve noticed the presence of insects near your strip lights, take some time to clean the area and use repelling products like citrus and cedar-scented sprays. You should notice fewer insects, and in turn fewer spiders.
If the issue persists, you might consider changing your LED color to a warmer shade.
And if you want to know how LED lights impact animals beyond bugs and spiders, read my guide on LED strip lights and dogs.
