Keeping insects out of my 8x10

[Jeff Corbett]

Northern Canada is beautiful and wild country. My travels there have been mainly by canoe. But if you are there at the right time (or should I say the wrong time) biting insects, especially mosquitoes and black flies, will be out in "Biblical plague proportions". Fortunately biting insects don't bother me much either physically or psychologically. On the Hood River (starts on the arctic circle and drains into the Arctic Ocean), there were times when it was difficult to change the lens on my 35mm SLR - once I trapped a moquitoe between the lens and the mirror. The only time the bugs weren't a problem was when the wind was blowing, and that has it's own set of problems for LF. This summer I'd like to take my 8x10 up north. So my question: I'm looking for advice on keeping the bugs out an 8x10. I foresee multiple bugs trapped in the bellows and crawling on my film at the time of exposure. Thanks.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

have you tried hanging fly paper inside your camera?

[Bill_1856]

How about a "vacuum back?" Hee, hee!

[Gem Singer]

Hi Jeff,

A large "horse blanket" type darkcloth, sprayed with a product similar to Deep Woods Off insect repellent will help. When setting up the camera, keep it covered with the darkcloth as much as possible.

Judging from my past experiences with trips on a swift moving river, I would be concerned about carrying an 8X10 outfit in a canoe or a rubber raft. Make sure that the camera equipment is enclosed in a floatable water tight container. Sounds like an exciting adventure. Good luck.

[John Kasaian]

Maybe put a frog in your bellows??

[Henry Ambrose]

Watch that "bug spray" on any finished wood, bellows, plastic parts, etc. It will sure make a mess of many materials. There are fabrics that have built-in repellent I believe. "Bug-Off' might be one brand name? You might make a wrap from that stuff.

Sounds like a great trip! But I'm on the other end of the spectrum from you - I think the bugs would have me batty within hours!

HEY! thats it! Bats! Take along your pet bats! If you have a 'bat bellows' for your camera they could hang out over in the sides and not block the film.

[Frank Petronio]

Put a Citronella candle holder on your tripod?

Couldn't you make something out of misquito netting?

[matthew blais]

Sounds like you need an "ant-i insect-in-side" ...

[Dan Fromm]

There are several varieties of permethrin sprays. Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethrin that kills insects on contact.

One variety is sold in pet stores as part of a complete flea remedy. It is approved for use on furniture.

Another is sold in "outdoors" stores as part of the complete mosquito repellent kit. It is approved for use on clothing. I use it when in the tropics, also in Florida. The remainder of the complete mosquito repellent kit is a DEET-based spray. DEET attacks plastics, so probably isn't safe around photographic equipment. You have been warned.

I don't know what either type permethrin preparation uses as propellant etc., so I'd be very careful about applying either to painted surfaces and to plastics. If I were you, I'd get the mosquito repellent preparation, spray some on a Q-tip, daub a little on a not-too-sensitive part of the camera, and see what melts. In the worst case, you can use the stuff on your clothing.

Cheers,

Dan

[Gem Singer]

Spray it on the OUTSIDE surface of the darkcloth. It cannot cause damage your camera, unless it is allowed to make contact with the bellows, or the wood and plastic surfaces. Most insect sprays use some type of alcohol as a solvent. One that contains DEET will really work great. I've been attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes along a river bank in Oregon, and it was a memorable experience. Certainly not one to laugh at. Also, watch out for the "no seeum", tiny black flies, in Canada.