Now, tackle pest menace in hostels with LED lights

Hyderabad: Tejas Anto Kannampuzha, an integrated MSc Sciences (Physics) student of the University of Hyderabad (UoH), collaborated with Professor B R Shamanna of the School of Medical Sciences, UoH, to ascertain that white light-emitting diodes, that is, LED lights, if installed in hostels, can reduce the perennial pest problem of Acid Fly attacks among students on the UoH campus.

The consequence of this research, published in the Indian Journal of Entomology in December 2024, is significant for university campuses, as it can significantly reduce this perennial but irritating pest problem by simply altering the light source in the hostel rooms.

Tejas Anto Kannampuzha, an integrated MSc Sciences student, said that they used a simple technology to examine the effect of reduced ultraviolet radiation from the light source used in the hostel rooms and its effect on Acid Fly attacks. The research revealed that LED lights reduce the rate of Acid Fly attacks in hostel rooms when compared to rooms with other sources of light like CFL or incandescent lamps.

The aim of the research was to study the effect of light on attacks by this pest. Acid Flies (paederus species), otherwise known as rove beetles, induce acidic burns on skin during the night through contact. This results in a skin condition called paederus dermatitis. The research study found that 209 hostel residents were affected by an outbreak of paederus dermatitis in the University of Hyderabad hostel.

The vice chancellor of the university, Professor B J Rao, urged them to undertake the logical sequel to the work to demonstrate the fly attraction coefficient against various forms of light that vary in UV content and light intensity type of parameters.