Recently, try to avoid wearing yellow when you go out — otherwise, you might find yourself strangely more attractive, but only to insects.
Unlike older parts of plants, young leaves and flowers tend to be brighter, with many flowers being yellow in color to attract pollinators. For pollinating insects, bright yellow means a feast of nectar and pollen. For sap-sucking bugs, it signals a rich new breeding ground. Over a long evolution, these insects have developed an instinct to move toward yellow and other bright colors. This built-in attraction is called chromotaxis.
In urban settings, aphids and thrips are the main insects drawn to yellow clothing. Aphids dominate in the north, while thrips are more common in the south. Aphids can't chew — they have needle-like mouthparts that pierce plant skin to suck out nutrients. Thrips have mouthparts more like a tiny file, scraping open plant surfaces to feed.
Common urban plants like roses, goldenrain trees, poplars, and peach trees are breeding grounds for aphids and thrips. When these plants sprout and bloom, bug numbers explode, making them much more likely to land on your yellow clothes.
If you find these bugs on your clothes, don't slap them directly — their bodies are fragile, and crushing them will stain your clothes and may cause your skin to have an allergic reaction. The best way is to shake your clothes vigorously or to blow them off your skin. These insects have weak defenses, so a gentle puff of air usually does the trick.