Could Adding These Colors To Your Patio Help Repel Mosquitoes? Here's What We Know
Having mosquitoes swarming your patio is not ideal, and since these annoying pests are known to carry diseases, you'll want to get rid of mosquitoes in your yard. Surprisingly, scientific research has shown that some species of these biting insects are attracted to certain colors, especially red, orange, cyan, and dark colors, in certain conditions. On the other hand, lighter colors like green, blue, purple, and yellow were found to be ignored by mosquitoes. By avoiding dark colors on your patio and adding light colors that aren't as attractive to these pests, you may see less of them intruding into your outdoor space.
While adding these colors to your patio may be able to help keep mosquitoes away from your home, there are many other factors that influence these insects' behavior, such as smell. This hack probably won't totally eliminate every mosquito from your patio, but using these unattractive colors could help cut down on how many mosquitoes are hanging out in your space.
How certain colors may attract or repel mosquitoes
It may seem strange that mosquitoes are affected by color, but a 2022 study published by Nature Communications showed that longer wavelength colors, such as orange and red, and darker colors could draw yellow fever (Ae. aegypti) mosquitoes; however, this only occurred when a puff of carbon dioxide (the gas humans exhale) was present. The study found that the insects' sense of smell was tied to their visual perception. On the other hand, colors like green, yellow, blue, white, and purple were not attractive to mosquitoes even when carbon dioxide was introduced.
Because of this, the study concluded that these specific colors can suppress the attraction of mosquitoes to humans; however, the smell of your sweat or the heat of your body could still bring a few of these pests around. This is why it may be a good idea to implement additional repellent measures as well as consider the colors of your patio if you're having serious pest issues.
Using colors on your patio to repel mosquitoes
Because some colors are attractive to mosquitoes, this could be a reason pests might be drawn to your home after a paint job. Having your outdoor furniture or patio be red, orange, or a dark color like navy blue could make the area more attractive to these insects, particularly when you're sitting outside and breathing out carbon dioxide. Additionally, areas with contrasting colors may also be attractive to mosquitoes. By eliminating colors that mosquitoes are drawn to and replacing them with lighter, less attractive colors, you can cut down on the amount of mosquitoes buzzing around your patio. This could be as simple as repainting any structures around your patio white or a light blue color, changing the colors of your outdoor furniture, or removing decorations with attractive colors.
While this might help curb mosquito populations near your patio, your sweat and breath, as well as environmental conditions could continue bringing these pests around. Eliminating standing water on your porch or patio is a great way to deter mosquitoes, in addition to keeping your lawn neat.