Visions

20 May is World Bee Day

What Attracts Insects - and What Does it Mean for Lighting

20.05.2025

Arnsberg, May 2025 - World Bee Day on 20th May highlights how important bees - and other insects - are for biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. However, artificial light at night disrupts the natural habitats of many animals and plants - light corridors fragment environments, disrupting foraging and mating behaviour. The negative impact on flora and fauna can be reduced by choosing the right lighting solution. But what matters in practice?

Minimising Disruption

Light Control and Housing Design

A luminaire’s design determines how precisely light is directed and how much is emitted as unwanted stray light. The precise interplay between reflectors, lenses, and suitable light distributions makes lighting effective and environmentally sensitive. TRILUX recommends using luminaires that do not emit upward light. This reduces general light pollution and improves the visibility of the night sky (#DarkSky). The housing construction is also crucial, as an IP rating of at least IP54 ensures that insects cannot enter the luminaire and cause damage.

Bee smart

Dimming and Light Colour

Lighting management offers several tools to make lighting more insect-friendly. Time-based and sensor-controlled dimming reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions but also significantly reduces light disturbances for insects. The most sustainable approach is to dim or switch off outdoor lighting during low-use periods, activating it only when needed via sensor control. A successful example is the Stuttgart to Böblingen/Sindelfingen express cycle path, equipped with smart, sensor-controlled luminaires.

The colour temperature of the light is a key factor. Choosing an appropriate colour temperature or spectral composition can significantly reduce inset attraction. While responses vary by species, the general rule is, that short-wave blue light attracts more moths and flying insects than warm white light (≤ 3,000 Kelvin).

Practical Solutions

Insect-Friendly Lighting in Action

TRILUX takes the needs of nature into account when developing luminaires and offers a broad portfolio of insect-friendly luminaires. This includes smart solutions such as the LiveLink family for simple and safe light management, as well as a wide selection of energy-efficient and smart luminaires. Many products are certified by the International Dark Sky Association, including ConStela, Cuvia, Jovie, the Lumega IQ N and numerous variants from the Lumantix and Publisca families. The Osido wall luminaire is a standout example, it incorporates several sustainable features. High-precision light control using MLT optics ensures illumination is focussed only where needed. In addition, the LED board for the indirect component is angled inwards by 6°, enabling attractive façade designs while significantly reducing upward light spill.

Knowing How

Planning Tools and Training from the TRILUX Academy

Delivering insect-friendly, standard-compliant outdoor lighting requires expert knowledge. That’s why TRILUX supports lighting designers, architects, engineers, and local authorities with a wide range of resources.

The go-to guide is TRILUX’s "Beleuchtungspraxis Außenbeleuchtung" fully updated in 2004 to reflect the latest and future standards, legal requirements and technologies. Further practical guidance is also available in the TRILUX "Outdoor lighting planning aid", which focuses on the requirements of DIN EN 13201.

The guides are complemented by the TRILUX Academy, which provides comprehensive professional development opportunities. Courses include certification for European Lighting Expert (ELE), outdoor lighting planning (DIALux evo, ReluxDesktop), and practical webinars such as "Lichtwissen kompakt".

Editors

Isabel Sabisch

PR & Media
TRILUX

20 May is World Bee Day