How to Keep Bugs Away from Security Cameras?

Worried about bugs activating the motion detection sensors? It is very irritating when the security camera storage is loaded with videos that have nothing but some bugs flying around. Not only that, bugs on the lens make the video blurry and messy as well.

It is a problem that many people have dealt with before. If you are also one of them and don’t know how to keep bugs away from security cameras, this article will be worth reading.

13 Easy Approaches to Keep Bugs Away from Security Cameras

We have put together 13 tried and tested methods that can help you keep your security cameras safe from insects. Have a look!

Turn LED or IR Lights Off

Every security camera comes with either LED or IR lights, and it is the core reason why bugs are always around the camera. The IR lights allow the camera’s night vision to work but the problem is, these lights attract the bug as well. And following the bugs, spiders come and starts making webs.

But fortunately, most advanced security cameras allow you to turn the IR or LED lights off. Do that and see what happens. Usually, when there is no light, bugs won’t be attracted to the camera, therefore, they won’t be around the camera.

If you find that working, then turn the IR lights off. But what about the night vision coverage? Without IR light, a night vision camera won’t work and you will have to find an alternative for that.

You can set a lamp covering the camera coverage area. Set the light slightly away from the security camera and put a transparent cover on the lamp. Or you can place the lamp behind and inside the window span. In that way, very few bugs will be able to reach the light.

Use a Bug Zapper

If you live in an area that is filled with bugs you are definitely familiar with bug zappers. They are extremely effective in eliminating most bugs. Here is how it works.

This thing has a light in the middle which attracts the bugs, the light emits very high UV rays and when the insects touch it, they are immediately electrocuted and killed.

But one problem with zappers is they are not suitable for all kinds of bugs. Mosquitoes and similar insects are attracted to the zapper’s light. However, it is still worth taking a shot at.

Place a zapper near the security camera and see if that works. If that doesn’t, there are other ways you can try.

Try Bug Spray

You can use bug sprays and will find some high-quality bug sprays in the market that actually work well for insects. Sprays like aerosol or insecticide, are very effective on most insects.

But the issues with such sprays are that they evaporate pretty soon, therefore you will be required to apply the spray on the camera after every one or two days.

If your security camera is easily accessible, then that wouldn’t be a problem, it won’t take more than a sec to spray over the camera. But if the camera is hard to reach then you better pass on this option.

Dust Off the Camera on A Regular Basis

If the security camera is at an easily reachable position then it is very wise to do dry cleaning once a week at least. Doing so will keep bugs and spiderwebs off the camera. Moreover, the camera lens will be clean and that will result in clear footage.

Take a clean cloth or a soft brush, and wipe off all the dirt and dust. It will be best if you don’t use anything liquid, as that can harden the dust.

Get rid of the spider webs and dirt. Once you are done cleaning, apply bug spray properly, that will keep the bugs away for a while. Cleaning the camera once a week might be labor expensive but trust me, in the long run, it will be a win.

Pesticides

Depending on the situation, pesticides can be a good option. It is no secret that pesticides are very effective bug poison and it has been used for a long time. If you plan to apply that over an indoor security camera, then drop the plan immediately. It is not worth the risk.

What risk am I talking about? Well, Pesticides are powerful poison that is absorbed by the skin. And if you use that indoors, the chemical fumes will be consumed by humans which is dangerous for health. Not only that, if somehow kids or pets come in contact with this poison, it might even burn the skin.

Having that said, you can apply pesticides over outdoor security cameras. If somehow that touches the bug’s skin, it’s done. However, the effect of pesticides will be over in a few days, so you’ll have to keep applying them after every few days. And be very careful while applying it, and use proper gloves and eyewear.

Lubricants Might Work

Even though applying lubricant on a security camera to get rid of bugs sound odd but it actually works. Do Teflon or Silicone spray on the camera and make a thin layer that will make the camera surface slippery.

And when it is slippery, it will be hard for the spider to land and make webs, as a result, spiders will be out of that area. Not only spiders, but a slippery surface is also hard to crawl for bugs as well.

If you find Teflon or Silicone sprays expensive then you can use lubricants like Vaseline or petroleum jellies, they are affordable and they last long as well.

But remember, under no circumstances apply lubricant or spray on the camera lens. Trust me, it will ruin the recording quality. You will end up having blurry footage. And once you apply such lubricants on the lens, it will take extreme effort and a long time to get that off.

Use Fan to Blow Bugs Away

This one is a great option! Set a fan right behind the camera so that it blows wind from the back of the camera to the front. A fan with decent power will be enough to safeguard the security camera from bugs. Whenever an insect comes, the blow won’t allow them to land. Nor will it allow spiders to web.

It is a way that won’t require scheduled maintenance, you just set the fan and you are done. But the problem with this is, that it will be hard to find a suitable fan for that. You need something small yet powerful so that it’ll be easy to mount.

A computer fan could be a way but a little more power would be great. However, if you can invest a few bucks then you can get a mechanic to make a suitable fan.

Try a Flea Collar

Using flea cover on security cameras could be expensive and still there is no guarantee that it’ll work. But if you have tried everything else and aren’t satisfied, then you can give this a try too.

Flea covers are mainly used for pet dogs and cats. People use it on almost every pet animal. It is a collar that is fused with insecticides that keep fleas away. When nothing seems to work, try using a flea collar on the camera.

Use a Dryer Sheet

We all are familiar with dryer sheets, mainly used in laundry. But that’s not the only quality of it. Dryer sheets can keep bugs away as well. Many people are actually liking the idea of using a dryer sheet to keep bugs away from the security cameras.

Wrap the dryer sheet on the security camera making sure that the sheet doesn’t interrupt the recording quality. Use a rubber band to attach the sheet securely to the camera. That’s all! The scent of the sheet will keep many bugs off the camera.

Home Remedies

There are some home remedies to keep away bugs that are being used for years. Those methods are tried and tested and seem to work well on most bugs.

A mixture of lemon, vinegar, peppermint, chestnut oil, and white vinegar works very well in keeping spiders away. However, the items included here might cost you a little money. But there is an affordable option as well.

Eucalyptus and Lavender, are excellent natural bug repellents that work on most insects including midgets, gnats, wasps, mosquitoes, flies, and spiders as well.

That being said, there is a problem with vinegar. It works as a natural repellent and an incredible cleaning agent as well. But even though the scent of vinegar keeps some bugs away, it can attract a few as well.

Vinegar has a smell of rotting fruit which some bugs find very attractive. So there is a downside to using vinegar as well. Having that said, it is still worth taking a shot. Try using the mixture and see how it works. If you find new bugs are coming, then move to another way.

Use Insecticide

Insecticides are a kind of bug poison, when bugs come in contact with insecticides, they die. It is pretty effective in killing bugs which is why it is highly used in the agriculture industry.

There are insecticide sprays available in the market, take one and apply it to the security camera. You’ll have to keep spraying insecticides on the camera after every few days.

Dome Camera as Alternative

It is a very small camera that can capture good quality footage. Due to its small size and tiny lens, it is a good choice for those who are irritated with bugs covering their security cameras. Due to the size of dome cameras, they can fit properly under eaves and there isn’t much lense space for the bugs or spiders to cling on.

Try Conkers Scent

For centuries, people have been using conkers to keep spiders and bugs away from their homes. The scent of the conker is something bugs and spiders don’t like hence they prefer staying away from that.

To keep your security cameras clean from spiders and bugs, you can try handing 1 or 2 bag conkers near the security camera. If your security camera is on the entrance then two full bags of hanging conkers might look bad but the bright side is, the camera will be safe from bugs and spiders.

How to Stop Bugs from Activating Motion Detection?

As mentioned earlier, it is extremely irritating when the storage is loaded with videos that only have bugs flying from here and there. Do you know what’s worse? When you have enabled security alerts upon detecting any motion. Your phone will be flooded by false alarms. So what to do?

Intrusion Detection: Most of the latest security cameras now come with a feature that allows you to switch from motion detection to intrusion detection.

The benefit of using the intrusion detection feature is, that it will stop sensors to activate the cameras for tiny objects.

Plus, in intrusion detection, the sensor will not activate the camera unless the object stays in the frame for more than a second or two. So the sensors will only activate the camera there is either people, animals, or vehicle.

You May Also Read: How To Mount Cameras Under Eaves?

What Happens When There Are Bugs in The Security Camera?

Bugs can’t get inside the security camera, they crawl over the camera. And that creates a bunch of problems that require an immediate response. Here is what happens when the security camera is surrounded by bugs.

Activates Motion Detection

As you know cameras come with a bunch of sensors that make the camera start recording when it detects any movement. The sensor will activate the camera if a leaf falls from the tree, a bug flies, or any animal or human walks through.

And when your security camera is surrounded by bugs, the sensors will keep activating the camera which will leave you with storage filled with crap recordings.

It gets even worse if you have turned on the notification alert. You’ll be notified every time a bug flies through.

Blocks the Camera View

When bugs sit or crawl over the camera lens, and following the spiders come making webs that cover the entire lens. As result, you will get video recordings that are good for nothing.

If the entire lens is blocked, you won’t see anything but black. And if are fortunate enough, the lens isn’t covered fully, even then you will get videos that are blurry and messy.

Conlcusion

Many times we have come across the question “how to keep bugs away from security cameras” which is why we decided to come up with this article. We have shown 13 ways how you can keep bugs off the camera but they are not all. There are other ways as well but these are definitely most effective ones.