Do you freeze bugs? (Page 2): Yes. But it depends on the insect species. Most will die from desiccation (days), while others are killed by ice crystals rupturing cell walls (hours).

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Eddografix wrote:

Is there a time frame in the freezer before the insects actually dies?

Yes. But it depends on the insect species. Most will die from desiccation (days), while others are killed by ice crystals rupturing cell walls (hours).
However, those that live in col climes do survive from season to season by several methods, including hibernation, larvae, and eggs that survive prolonged freezing.

With insects representing over 50% of all animal species on earth, they are quite a diverse and adaptive lot.
You just cannot help becoming fascinated once you look closer.

patsibley Loc: West of Spokane, WA

[
Is there a time frame in the freezer before the insects actually dies?[/quote]

I had to do an insect collection when I was in high school and I can tell you that I put a cockroach in a killing jar (with a wad of alcohol soaked cotton) and in the freezer for 3 days to kill it. Then I "pinned it" (put a pin thru his thorax and stuck it in my collection box , and within a couple of hours, he was trying to crawl off his pin!

marty wild Loc: England

I have read in a mag that some photographers use cool bags to slow insects the down. Then you get the best of both worlds. You can stage the image and let live as well.

GrandmaJoy Loc: North Carolina

Festina Lente wrote:

GrandmaJoy wrote:

....Unfortunately the mice that are fed to snakes are frozen. I don't go in pet stores for any reason.

No self-respecting snake would ever eat a frozen mouse unless it was at body temperature and moved. Alive rodents are just so much easier to feed.

Oh, Perhaps I should have said they are sold frozen. Sorry, I was totally unaware of that information. I will stick to subjects I am more familiar with.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

marty wild wrote:

I have read in a mag that some photographers use cool bags to slow insects the down. Then you get the best of both worlds. You can stage the image and let live as well.

Yes, that makes sense. I have used ice in a baggie at times. But it does not last.
But a can of "Compressed air" used for cleaning computer and office equipment is always ready and is cold enough to slow down any insect without killing it.
Use too much and you can momentarily freeze the insect.
(It is actually a liquified organic gas, and you have to hold the can upside down to discharge the liquid, the opposite of the instructions).

I always have one can in my bag when insect hunting with my macro set-up. About $3 in any office supply store.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Eddografix wrote:

Is there a time frame in the freezer before the insects actually dies?

Since I shoot chilled, not dead insects, I cannot really comment about too long in freezer. I can say that my problem is usually to short of time in freezer, before insect revives.

I place each insect in a small Tupperware-like container. I leave house flies in freezer for just a minute or two, beetles a bit longer, dragonflies about 5-minutes.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

patsibley wrote:

I had to do an insect collection when I was in high school and I can tell you that I put a cockroach in a killing jar (with a wad of alcohol soaked cotton) and in the freezer for 3 days to kill it. Then I "pinned it" (put a pin thru his thorax and stuck it in my collection box , and within a couple of hours, he was trying to crawl off his pin!

TMI!

Eddografix Loc: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Nikonian72 wrote:

Eddografix wrote:

Is there a time frame in the freezer before the insects actually dies?

Since I shoot chilled, not dead insects, I cannot really comment about too long in freezer. I can say that my problem is usually to short of time in freezer, before insect revives.

I place each insect in a small Tupperware-like container. I leave house flies in freezer for just a minute or two, beetles a bit longer, dragonflies about 5-minutes.

Thanks, so we are talking minutes not hours, good to know.

Hal81 Loc: Bucks County, Pa.

I guess thats why I slow down in the cold weather.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Hal81 wrote:

I guess thats why I slow down in the cold weather.

Hmmm, that explains a lot for me also. :XD:

randymoe

All good tips and timely. My Nikon PB-4 macro bellows just arrived. I need to wait a week for a B-13 one inch macro adapter so I can get my digital Nikons to fit it.

Now I need to make some room in the film filled freezer for formidable frozen furry fugs. I could not resist the alliteration.

A while back I had a bedroom bee infestation. Woke up to stinging bees. It was fall and they were moving in to escape the cold. They moved real slow and didn't really sting very well. I caught them by the baggy full and froze them to show the landlord. I should have been taking mug shots!

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Funny post!

But if you can repeat the following simple monosyllabic alliteration out loud just four (4) times quickly, you MAY qualify as both a speaker and a bugging entomologist:

BIG BAD BLACK BUG'S BLOOD.

randymoe wrote:

All good tips and timely. My Nikon PB-4 macro bell... (show quote)

ephraim Imperio

patsibley wrote:

[
Is there a time frame in the freezer before the insects actually dies?[/quote]

I had to do an insect collection when I was in high school and I can tell you that I put a cockroach in a killing jar (with a wad of alcohol soaked cotton) and in the freezer for 3 days to kill it. Then I "pinned it" (put a pin thru his thorax and stuck it in my collection box , and within a couple of hours, he was trying to crawl off his pin!

Ha! Ha! Ha! "Cockroaches Never Die, they just crawl away"!

randymoe

Your mantra makes a lot of sense to this newly retired fool. I have a sense of my time fleeing and the need to act now, yet I also finally understand the futility of our efforts.

Festina Lente wrote:

Funny post! br br But if you can repeat the follo... (show quote)

lachmap Loc: Sydney Australia

I tell you all now: the cockroaches will inherit the Earth. Of course if you happen to read "Venus on a half shell" by Kilgore Trout then you will understand everything. Believe me, it is a fantastic read, but then I am crazy!!!