Cameras and Spiders - please don't laugh!

Sep 07, 2006 10 Replies

Hi Group, I have just installed a CCTV camera with infra-red light at night. The DVR uses motion detect to start recording. As soon as it gets dark a damned spider starts to spin his/her web in front of the lens. The web then blows in the breeze and I get hours of web (!!) footage. Is this a common problem with security cams? Are there well known solutions?



In hope



Ger



P.S. Please, no smart suggestions. This is serious!! :)


Yes, very common. The prison service have been battling it for years.

None are 100% successful, but you could try one of these:

  1. Stop using VMD and use something else - cable, beams, PIR, MW.
  2. Combine one of the above with VMD in a dual-tech/double-knock arrangement.
  3. Combine VMD from two cameras in the same manner.
  4. Wash/wipe cameras.

Regards,

Richard

Thank you Richard. Your comments appreciated. Some comfort in that it is a known problem. Tried the cleaning regularly solution but the buggers can rebuild almost immediately. Plus the camera is difficult to access. Have to find out if spiders have any natural enemies :)

Take care

Ger

Last autumn - a busy time of year for spiders - I tried something I read about and it seemed to work; no spiders in my living room!

Collect a few conkers (I think they should be around in a week or two maybe?) and place in an open dish. Apparently they give off a gas which deters spiders.

It's very difficult for me to prove scientifically, because spiders tend to come and go throughout the year. But I'd be interested to see what others find...

Night time problem! They be tucked up in their little beds :)

Ger

"David Quinton" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Now there's a thought. But the camera is out doors - so the gas would dissipate. I do have a very large conkers tree in the front garden. Maybe I'll grind up a few dozen and hang them in a cotton bag beside the camera. Maybe. But thank you.

Ger

P.S. I have just remembered! I have a workshop at the end of the garden which is overrun with spiders. They are everywhere. I will definitely put a bucket or two of conkers in there. As you say, they are just about to split and drop to the ground. Although they are hardy spiders - a good coating of ground MDF dust on their webs (table saw output) has no effect.

Thanks Steve,

BUT, how is the lemon juice administered? :)

Ger

It's the smell of the lemon that does the trick so just wipe it around the area. After a few days the spiders seem to get the message.

Thanks again Steve,

On the assumption that you are indeed serious I will add some lemon juice to the conkers bowl!! (see earlier post) I am considering putting a lemon and some conkers into a blender and applying the resulting paste around the camera. I wish the damned camera was more accessible. Picture me atop a 30' ladder with a bowl of anti-spider paste and a brush!!

But I will give anything a try.

Ger

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