Bugs and Color

[ChrisB]

Is there a color(s) that attract --or better yet-- repels bugs?

Example: I've always heard that mosquitoes are attracted to blue, But wonder if this is an urban legend.

Any of you folks have a fave anti-bug color you wear in the spring that works?

cb

 

[MikeM]

If insects are a concern I wear light colored clothing or white. I'm convinced that deer flies sense or are attracted to dark colored moving objects. Other insects, I'm not so sure but it is easier to see ticks on light colored clothing. I've also noticed that talking about how bad the bugs are or what to do about them makes them exponentially worse so we should all stop reading this thread

 

[Bob Kittredge]

The greenhead flies on Cape Cod go for the color blue.

 

[DayTrip]

I remember reading a detailed article a few years back about deer/horse flies and their love of blue. Several contraptions with fly paper type set ups and blue colors to attract them on hats, water jug contraptions people dropped in the woods around areas they sit, etc. (I get nasty deer flies in my yard for a good stretch of the Summer so I was close to trying these contraptions out but never did). Not sure if that is applicable to other types of insects. I also generally wear light colors although I wouldn't say for sure that it makes a difference. If heat and CO2 are what attracts them I don't know that color makes a big difference. But I'm no scientist.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I can tell you for sure that deer flies like blue. Blue helmets on mountain bikers get more deer flies than other colors. I cannot wear a blue bandanna when they are out because they come at me in droves compared to light gray or even red.

Tim