Blue LED Light for Pest Control

The use of the right light can change the things entirely when used in different applications like decorating a home or taking a selfie. It can also help in controlling pests effectively. Several researchers from the University of Tohoku have discovered that the use of blue LED light for pest control at certain frequencies can kill the insects safely, effectively and affordably. This article will go further into detail of the new technologies of pest control.
Blue LED Light for Pest Control - The Uniqueness of Blue Light Radiation
Understanding the Uniqueness of the Concept
Researchers have focused on the biological effects of the light you see on the insects instead of ultraviolet or shortwave lights and this made their study unique. According to them, you can use certain spectrums of visible light, by understanding their impact, for novel purposes like controlling pests without using pesticides containing chemicals. For testing the effect of their study, they selected three types of insects with different qualities including a kind of mosquito, a fruit fly and a flour beetle. This difference was necessary to study the effect of exposure to blue light radiation on different types of insects.
The Reaction of Fruit Flies to Blue Light Radiation
The exposure to the radiation of blue light has shortened the life cycle of fruit fly during this study. What was interesting in this research that the different wavelengths of the blue light were toxic for different types of insects. During this study, each of the species reacted differently at different wavelengths of blue light. Fruit flies were exposed to 440 nm and 467 nm wavelengths of blue light, which proved to be lethal for this species as respectively more than 70 and 90 percent pupae of fruit flies died after this test.
The Reaction of Mosquitoes to the Blue Light Radiation
When mosquitoes were exposed to the radiation of blue light, the research team found that their tolerance power was greater than fruit flies even at the wavelength of 417 nm -- which was very deadly for fruit flies. They also noticed that the hatchlings from the eggs, survived after the exposure of the blue light radiation, could not survive soon after hatching.
The Reaction of Flour Beetle to the Blue Light Radiation
According to the reports of the researchers, the non-survival of flour beetles to the exposure of the blue light radiation with wavelengths from 404 to 467 nm has proved that the radiation of blue light can be used to kill various types of insects effectively.
Suggestions for Future Researchers
In order to use blue light radiation for controlling pests in the real world, it is necessary to improve the techniques and increase the level of radiation. As suggested by the researchers in their reports, you will have to find out various spectrums of blue light at different wavelengths as different species of insects can be controlled at different wavelengths. According to them, the future researchers will have to test the resistance of various insects to the radiation of the blue light as observed earlier for the radiation of ultraviolet light.
Conclusion
The researchers have suggested using blue LED light for pest control because its color, tone, and wavelength can be adjusted more easily, affordably and safely as per the species of the insects to be controlled.