"Maybe the vibrations from the older models mimic something insects are naturally drawn to?"
That's an interesting thought. When we first moved into our house, the garage opener was this ancient beast that rattled like crazy. I remember noticing quite a few spiders setting up shop around the lights and corners—maybe because of all the moths buzzing around? After switching to a quieter model, it seems like the spiders have mostly moved on too. Makes me wonder if anyone else has noticed changes in other critters after upgrading their openers...
That's pretty fascinating, actually. I hadn't thought about vibrations attracting bugs, but it makes sense. We upgraded our opener about a year ago, and while I didn't notice fewer spiders (still plenty of those around here...), I did see fewer wasps hanging around the garage door tracks. Maybe the older openers create some kind of frequency or vibration that mimics nesting conditions or something? I'm no bug expert, but it could be similar to how certain colors or lights attract insects. Has anyone noticed if LED bulbs versus traditional bulbs in the garage opener make any difference with bugs? I've heard LEDs attract fewer insects, but haven't tested it myself yet.
Interesting point about LEDs—I switched to LED bulbs in my porch lights last summer and definitely noticed fewer moths buzzing around. Wonder if the same would apply inside garages, or if the enclosed space changes things...? Has anyone else tried this?
Funny you mention LEDs and garages—I actually swapped out my garage lighting for LEDs about a year ago, but not specifically to deter bugs. I was just tired of the dim, yellowish glow from the old bulbs making my workspace feel like some creepy basement from a horror movie. 😅
Anyway, about the bugs... I did notice fewer moths and random flying things buzzing around inside after switching. But honestly, I think the enclosed space might play a role too. When the garage door is open at night, bugs still wander in occasionally, but once it's closed, they don't seem to stick around as much as before. Maybe it's because LEDs don't emit as much heat or UV light? I'm no bug scientist (entomologist?), but that's my guess.
One thing I've noticed though—spiders seem to care less about what kind of bulb you use. They're just happy to set up shop wherever there's a corner or crevice. My garage corners are still spider central, LED bulbs or not. 😂
Has anyone else noticed if different LED colors make a difference? I've heard some people say warmer tones attract fewer insects than cooler bluish ones... haven't tested that myself yet, but now I'm curious. Might be worth experimenting with different color temperatures if bugs are really bugging you (sorry, couldn't resist).
"One thing I've noticed though—spiders seem to care less about what kind of bulb you use. They're just happy to set up shop wherever there's a corner or crevice."
Haha, I can definitely relate to the spider situation. I recently renovated my garage for the first time, and while LEDs did help brighten things up nicely, the spiders didn't seem to get the memo. I even tried sealing up cracks and corners, but somehow they always find a way back in.
Regarding your question about LED color temperatures, I've read similar things about warmer tones attracting fewer insects. When I was choosing bulbs, I went with a warmer white (around 2700K) because I prefer the cozy feel, and I have noticed fewer bugs overall compared to my porch lights, which are cooler-toned. But like you mentioned, it could also be due to the enclosed space or less UV emission. Maybe it's a combination of factors?
Now I'm wondering if anyone has experience with motion-activated LEDs—do they make any noticeable difference with bugs or spiders, since they're not constantly on?
