Exploring the Use of White Light Emitting Diodes to Mitigate 'Acid Fly' Attacks

Acid flies (Paederus spp.) are rove beetles that induce acidic burns on skin during night contact called Paederus dermatitis and are considered a global pest. A study was conducted among 209 hostel residents affected by an outbreak of Paederus dermatitis in the University of Hyderabad to study the effect of light on attacks by this pest. The study revealed that rooms with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) had a 37.76% likelihood of attacked contrasting with a significantly lower probability of 7.83% for rooms lit with white light emitting diodes (LEDs). The standard emission spectra of commonly used lights – incandescent bulbs, CFL and LED when compared reveal that LEDs emit significantly less UV-A radiation than CFLs or incandescent lights, which can be correlated with reduced attacks by Paederus spp. for LED-lit rooms.