Color?

[Fur Queue]

I had a yellow car once, it was a great deal....however, in summertime, every lonely bee and wasp for miles around seemed to converge on it the minute you opened a window...I may of course be exaggerating slightly, but my question is this. Are some colors more attractive to the micro 'wildlife' out in the woods? Has anyone got any specific examples they can give? I have to ask given the vast choice of brightly colored hiking apparel available...thanks in advance!

[rocketsocks]

Any color that is found in the flower world, will certainly attract the pollen collectors, and those that eat them. Violet also is a color that seems to attract em as well (maybe something to do with the wavelength of that particular color, it being in the lower wavelength, and somethin about there vision requirements....Bull s***), bless you!...sorry nothing to back this up....other than the Discovery channel.

[johnnybgood]

Don't look like a flower with floral prints. Of course bees are more attracted to bright colors like yellow and red.

Also their sense of smell detects perfume and colongne.

[RodentWhisperer]

This isn't anywhere near the same species, but just FYI: I've had several hummingbirds swerve down to my head when I've worn my red bandanna.

[Fur Queue]

I'm thinking more of black flies and whatever else (there were several different types of bugs, ticks included) it was that absolutely engulfed us right at the summit of Lafayette last June..it was almost difficult to breathe....and weirdly, at least in my experience, they were concentrated in a relatively small area...maybe a hundred share feet or so....

[Fur Queue]

Square feet^

[Fur Queue]

This isn't anywhere near the same species, but just FYI: I've had several hummingbirds swerve down to my head when I've worn my red bandanna.

That is a huge plus!

[rocketsocks]

I'm thinking more of black flies and whatever else (there were several different types of bugs, ticks included) it was that absolutely engulfed us right at the summit of Lafayette last June..it was almost difficult to breathe....and weirdly, at least in my experience, they were concentrated in a relatively small area...maybe a hundred share feet or so....that's usually called a mating cloud.

[Fur Queue]

that's usually called a mating cloud.

Thanks, I'm from England, I've been active outdoors all of my life and I've never experienced anything quite like it....the two young lads I was with ended up with blood coming from the corners of their eyes...it was some party...the entire insect population of the mountain must have been there....

[rocketsocks]

Thanks, I'm from England, I've been active outdoors all of my life and I've never experienced anything quite like it....the two young lads I was with ended up with blood coming from the corners of their eyes...it was some party...the entire insect population of the mountain must have been there....Yep, basically, he got screwed...been there

[Alligator]

I'm thinking more of black flies and whatever else (there were several different types of bugs, ticks included) it was that absolutely engulfed us right at the summit of Lafayette last June..it was almost difficult to breathe....and weirdly, at least in my experience, they were concentrated in a relatively small area...maybe a hundred share feet or so....In my experience black flies seem drawn to dark colors.

[Slo-go'en]

In my experience black flies seem drawn to dark colors.

That could well be as they live in the bark of pine trees. Brushing trail in the spring can really stur them up!

I once placed my bright blue bandana next to my buddies camo bandana and in a few minutes my bandana was covered with cluster flies and his wasn't. I do get a kick out of people in the woods who look and smell like a flower complaing about all the bugs attacking them...

[leaftye]

My yellow tent attracts bugs and they sort of get trapped between the door jamb and the door visor.

[yellowsirocco]

A wide brim hat is good for keeping bugs away.

[poopsy]

I'm always surprised by how different environments demand different outdoors habits and ways of being in the woods. "A wide brim hat is good for keeping bugs away"??? Bizarre.

Where I come from, wearing black or blue in the woods is a disaster!! It's common knowledge that mosquitoes are attracted to the colour blue, and black flies are heat seeking missiles and go for anything black. Given this context it astounds me that pack and equipment manufacturers offer anything in these colours. But like I say, this is my woods environment and not yours. What ever works.

[rocketsocks]

Strange but on sunny days when using a brightly colored fishing lure, it provokes a response, where as a darker one may not. And when fishing at night a switch to a darker color will give a different response than a light color.Hmm? just an observation, and now a universally thought technique amongst fisherman....coarse YMMV