Anesthesia

Has anyone ever used anesthetic for macro work with bugs n things tiny? Or do you prefer the chill method?

What do you use?

I haven't any experience of bugs but I know a taxidermist who gives small reptiles a whiff of ether before taking latex casts of them. They wake up just as the latex cures

I prefer the 'approach very carefully' method!

Where's the thrill of the chase if the thing can't move?

Dan

I'm with Dan on this one - half the fun(!) of it is the fact that nine times out of ten the little creature flies/scurries away just before you release the shutter, or else, even more annoyingly, it'll stay put but will use its special insecty powers to induce camera shake or some other photographic calamity!

Jonathan

I suppose one could carry a co2 fire extinguisher and giv'em a blast or two...just don't bump'em or they'll shatter...he.he.he...

I haven't had much success getting the mask over their faces to administer the anaesthetic!

Besides I thought Anesthesia was a Russian Princes...nice girl but forgetful....

Nah, that was Euthanasia.

Nah, she was Asian.

G

I'm glad my question has brought much needed summer relief to the Forum.

It might have been Amnesia... but I'm not sure if my memory serves me correctly

JC, it hasn't really answered your question though, has it?

I would guess that a quick chill in the fridge would be safer for the insect, as this is a natural thing that would happen overnight. I don't know how long you'd need to keep them in there for. It does get some bad press though, bit like shots of caged animals as opposed to wild ones. I guess it depends on the subject, and how likely you are to get a shot of it in it's natural surroundings.

I think you get more of a thrill and sense of achievement if you get 'untamed' animal shots. Today I managed to get a Red Admiral butterfly to crawl onto my hand (would've taken a photo instead but the camera was back in the office ), simply by moving very slowly while it was basking in the sun. Sometimes it works, sometimes (most times ) it doesn't, but it makes it all the more special when it does.

Have fun,
Dan

Thanks Daniel. Yes it all depends and I'm not in the habit of using anything that would harm an insect or animal and certainly not butterflies.

I just wanted to see what others did.

Don't get me wrong I do get a kick and a laugh with the one-liners.

I have read about the chill method and was actually contemplating it, I mentioned this to my brother (a non photographer) after showing him my most recent attempts to capture the bee's in the back yard, and he was appalled at the thought, his reply was, quote; "they dont live very long, putting one in the fridge for ten minutes is probably equivelant to someone putting you in a fridge for ten years"
Needless to say I haven't tried it.

What about if you put the bee in the fridge, but when you went to get it out, you couldn't find it?

And you wouldn't be able to leave the light on for it, what if it's afraid of the dark?

Dan