(PHOTO: VCG)

By Staff Reporters

As the weather gets hotter, light-colored clothes, especially yellow or green clothes, tend to attract small flying insects, causing a great deal of annoyance. Why does this happen, and how to prevent it?

It's due to insects' taxis, says Shi Juan, a professor at Beijing Forestry University. Taxis is the movement of an organism in response to a stimulus, such as thermotaxis, which is triggered by temperature, phototaxis caused by light, and chemotaxis induced by chemical substances.

Different types of insects also have specific color preferences. For instance, aphids, leaf miners, and whiteflies have a strong attraction to yellow, while thrips are more drawn towards blue.

The essence of insects' preference for color is phototaxis. Insects can sharply perceive colors, which are the light waves reflected from the surface of objects. "Insects' color preferences play a crucial role in their foraging, mating, habitat selection, and avoiding predators. It is a biological behavior formed by insects during long-term evolution," Shi explained.

Studies suggest that color saturation levels significantly influence insect attraction. In general, most insects have a strong preference for yellow. In addition to the aforementioned flying insects, yellow clothes may also attract other insects such as mosquitoes and bees. Blue and green clothes also attract insects.  As a result, if you want to prevent or reduce the infestation of insects hovering over you during spring and summer, avoid wearing these colors.

Wear goggles to prevent insects from entering the eyes. If a small flying insect accidentally lands in an eye, do not rub it. Instead, rinse your eye with water or eye drops.

In addition, wearing clothes with long sleeves and long trousers, using insect repellents or insecticide sprays and avoiding the use of perfumed products can reduce insect infestation and make your outdoor activities more enjoyable.