As the weather gets warmer, why do small flying insects "prefer" people wearing brightly colored clothes?

□ Science Times reporter Hu Lijuan

As the weather gets hotter, some people find that when they walk on the street wearing yellow or green clothes, they are always "favored" by small flying insects. The related topic has become a hot search on Weibo, sparking heated discussions, and some netizens have posted photos of small flying insects landing on yellow clothes to prove that this phenomenon is not an illusion.

"Yellow-green clothes are easy to attract small flying insects. The scientific principle behind this is the insects' tendency to color, or color attraction," said Professor Shi Juan, vice dean of the School of Forestry at Beijing Forestry University. Color attraction means that insects will be attracted to a certain environment, such as thermotaxis, light attraction, and chemical attraction. Different types of insects also have specific choices and preferences for colors. Aphids, leaf miners, whiteflies, etc. have a strong tendency to yellow, while a small insect called thistle has a strong tendency to blue.

The essence of color attraction is a kind of phototropism. Color is the light wave reflected by the surface of an object, which can be perceived by the keen vision of insects. Shi Juan said: "Color attraction plays an important role in the process of insects foraging, courtship, habitat selection and avoiding enemies. It is a biological behavior formed by insects in the long process of evolution."

Research has found that colors of different saturation have a significant effect on insect attraction. In general, most insects have a strong tendency to yellow. In addition to the flying insects mentioned above, yellow clothes may also attract mosquitoes, aphids, bees and other insects; blue and green clothes are the second most likely to attract insects. So in spring and summer, if you want to avoid or reduce the intrusion of flying insects, you should avoid wearing clothes of these colors.
In spring and summer, you can also wear goggles to prevent insects from entering your eyes. When small flying insects get into your eyes, it is recommended not to rub them, but to rinse them with tears, eye drops or water.

In addition, wearing long sleeves and long pants, using insect repellent or insect spray, and avoiding the use of perfume products can effectively reduce insect infestation and increase the comfort of outdoor activities.