The Unexpected Reason Pests Might Be Drawn To Your Home After A Paint Job

If you've recently painted the exterior of your home a bright, cheery color, you may notice more bugs buzzing around. Some insects and birds are attracted to certain colors because they resemble their natural sources of food. While you may enjoy having pollinators or birds outside your home, bright colors can also attract unpleasant insects and some aggressive types of birds. Other kinds of insects, such as mosquitoes, are drawn to darker colors.

The CEO of Nexus HomeBuyers, Matt Bigach, explained to Apartment Therapy how the color of your home affects more than just the aesthetic. "Houses are typically painted with rustic colors or with white undertones, so when people are bold with their exterior color palette, it's bound to attract attention," he said. "Blue jays and hummingbirds are just two of the many species attracted to bright colors. And honey bees and wasps relate bright colors to pollination, and will most likely be drawn to a house with vibrant colors."

Orange, yellow, and red are all vivid colors that can attract many types of insects and birds. Wasps, bees, and many other insects flock to these colors, and though some of them are beneficial, others quickly prove to be annoying pests. Because insects see color on the ultraviolet spectrum, blues and greens aren't as perceptible to them, which is why some people paint the ceiling of their porch blue in an effort to keep bugs away. Blue jays also love bright colors, and though they may be beautiful to watch, they may cause other songbirds to leave the area and are generally loud.

Though mosquitoes and spiders aren't attracted to the same colors as other bugs, there are still some that will bring them to your house. Mosquitoes like darker colors, such as black and navy blue, because these colors hold onto heat, similar to their living food sources. Green is one of the few colors that spiders can see, so painting your house a dark green may attract them.

If you don't want pesky bugs or annoying birds hanging out by your home, consider painting your house a color they won't like. Depending on what kind of insect you're having trouble with, you'll want to choose a different color. For problems with wasps and spiders, for example, painting your home a darker or less vivid color will keep them away. Though spiders don't pay too much attention to color, the dark paint will repel their food sources and, consequently, they'll stay away, too.

If you have a yard or patio that's terrorized by mosquitoes, painting your house white or a similar bright, reflective color will discourage these biting insects from sticking around. A white paint job may also aid in keeping away annoying birds and prevent them from building nests on or around your house. While the exterior color of your home expresses your unique creative style, strategically choosing the hue could prevent you from dealing with certain pests.