bug unfreindly lights--spider issues

[srob]

Hi All!

I have a small apartment building. A tenant is complaining of lots of spiders in a stairwell that also get into her apartment. After doing a little reading, I think that the main problem is that I have a couple of stairway lights and a porch light that are on 24/7, it is an older place, and bugs can come in through cracks around the exterior door. So lights attract the bugs which then attract the spiders.

My question is, what kind of light bulbs are the best to not attract the bugs? There are yellow LED lights which I think I will use for the interior, but what about a sodium vapor light for the porch light that is on all the time? I hear that these are the best for not attracting bugs. Do they make such bulbs that can go in a regular incandescent enclosed fixture?

Thanks!

[GuitarStv]

The better solution would be to patch the cracks in your wall and better seal your door rather than change the light bulb.

[big_owl]

I happen to know a thing or two about which lights attract night-flying insects....

Anyway, if you can find a peach-colored sodium vapor light that'll run on 120v and not be too bright then absolutely it will be the worst attractor which would be a good thing for you.  Steer clear of MV lights, blacklights, and incandescents.  My experience is yellowish CFLs are pretty crappy too.  I haven't done any collecting via LED, but perhaps a yellow would be a good option as well. 

Night flying insects are most attracted to shorter, UV wavelengths (300-375nm wavelength).  They are attracted least by longer wavelength yellows and reds (570-750nm).  You could get one of those red bulbs and that would be very good but would make your house look like a Halloween home all year. 

[srob]

Guitarstv--You are right! I would like to seal up the doorway. It is complicated--the door is probably 90 years old, and the wooden threshold has a deep impression in the wood from all that stepping over the years, so there is maybe an inch gap there.

big owl--bug collector eh? any chance you want to sample some bugs in an apartment stairwell? ;) I'll check out HD to see what they have in the way of sodium vapor bulbs. I'm still not sure if the fixture needs a special ballast or something. Do you happen to know if the bulbs get unusually hot?

Thanks!

[big_owl]

Sodium lights do usually have an inner bulb protected by an outer glass bulb - for thermal insulation.  So they do probably get pretty hot.  But most all light bulbs get pretty hot so....

I actually found 120V ballast mercury vapor bulbs that I use from time to time for collecting (you DON'T want one of these), so it's certainly possible that you might find a sodium bulb that would work in a typical outdoor fixture.  Google is probably your best bet.

[DavidLusk]

I also have heard somewhere that the sodium bulbs do well in keeping away the insects. But the first and foremost thing I would suggest you is that you should first take some steps to remove those spiders which are already residing in the place. One of the ways is to patch the cracks in the wall or you can take the help of the professionals of Pest Exterminator Rye NY.

[srob]

Thanks guys. I couldn't find a suitable exotic bulb, so I just bought a yellow CFL and hopefully that does the trick this summer. And I did spray for bugs in the stairwell. Some tenants are so afraid of a few bugs!