When it comes to exterior amenities on an RV, LED camping lights seem like they’d be a good idea.
LEDs are bright, energy-efficient, and they don’t get hot. They illuminate a good portion of the campsite, making it easier to see at night.
But not all exterior RV camping lights are as good of an idea as they seem. We found a video on Reddit that proves it! Let’s get into it.
Blue LEDs On RV Exteriors Are Bug Magnets
In this video shared to Reddit, blue LED lights on an RV exterior are literally bug magnets.
In the video, you see an RV with a blue LED light strip turned on with a swarm of bugs surrounding it.
Nobody wants that at their campsite! And bugs crawling all over the exterior of your RV isn’t ideal, either.
Light strips on an RV exterior are used as a selling point, although it’s unclear why RV manufacturers would use a blue light. According to the responses on this Reddit post, consumers don’t understand it or like it, either!
Pro Tip: Here are 5 Solutions To Keep Bugs Out Of Your RV
Bugs Love UV Light
Bugs fly to light because they use the moon to navigate at night. Artificial light sources throw off their natural navigation system, and the bugs get stuck swarming lights like porch lights, camper lights, etc.
According to Dodson Pest Control, insects generally see three light colors, including UV, blue, and green. So, using an exterior camp light in a cooler color isn’t a good idea if you don’t want to invite hundreds of bugs to your campsite.
Here’s What Fellow RVers Said
On the original Reddit post, many ideas were shared.
User u/crushedrancor said, “Blue is the harshest light on your eyes, and red is the easiest, amber is definitely the way to go”
And, u/Xynomite added, “This has always been my thoughts as well. You are out camping and sitting by a campfire trying to relax only to see a 36′ 5th wheel in the space next to you with 12,000 lumens of blue LEDs lighting up their entire campsite. People have them on the campers and then they drag out 100 feet of blue rope lighting to wrap around their site as some kind of visual indicator of what is “theirs”…. which is an odd habit to begin with.”
Lastly, u/nabo27 notes, “I recommend the $5 handheld bug zapper from harbor freight. It’s shaped like a tennis racket and I would have a lot of fun swinging it through that cloud of bugs.”
Blue Light Isn’t Good for Human Eyes at Night
Blue light is terrible for human eyes at night, and we are exposed to it everywhere with TVs, phones, and laptops. We don’t need more blue light exposure at the campsites!
Blue light exposure at night disrupts our natural sleep cycle. When we’re exposed to blue light at night, it prevents our bodies from naturally producing the melatonin that makes us sleepy. This is why it’s recommended to limit screen time at night and use blue-light blocking glasses.
This is just another reason why blue LED campsite lights might not be the best choice! If you have blue LED campsite lights, here are a couple of solutions to protect your eyes and keep bugs away.
Solution 1: Keep The Lights Off
The obvious solution would be to keep the lights off. Use alternative light sources for the campsite with warmer tones to avoid attracting bugs to your RV.
String lights, tiki torches, and campfires are all excellent sources of campsite light.
But it would be convenient to use the lights intended for hanging out outside at night, so here’s another solution.
Pro Tip: Leaving your RV lights on overnight is one of the 7 Deadly Sins of RV Camping.
Solution 2: Replace the LED Strip
Replace the LED strip with another color of lights. Warmer tones will attract fewer bugs and may even be better on the eyes at night.
Redditors in the thread with the original video discussed replacing the light strip with LEDs that they found on Amazon. Amber seems to be a popular color choice among commenters. User Spidergawd68 says:
“I replaced the harsh white incandescent porch light bulb on our rig to an amber LED. What a difference! Easy on the eyes, and 10% of bugs.”
Blue Lights Aren’t Ideal
Blue lights are definitely not ideal for your camper exterior if you didn’t plan on inviting all the area bugs to the party. Luckily, you don’t have to keep the blue LED lights.
Replacing the light strips is the best solution if you want to decrease the amount of bugs attracted to your RV at night.
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Wow, I never knew this but I have an 08 motorhome with NO blue lights. This is helpful when/if I ever buy a newer RV!! Thank you!
I leave my lights off and hang a blue light bug zapper near the back of my trailer and it draws the bugs away from the door and makes it bearable sitting outside.