Putting bugs in the fridge -

Somebody told me recently that many macro or 'Bug-Photographers' refrigerate their insects to stop them skittering about so that they get better shots... I was quite shocked and also a little sceptical...

Is this really true? If so, what is the process? AND Do any of you actually do this?


I'm not sure I can 'get down' on the ethical application of this technique 'but' it certainly would make practicing macro a lot easier...


Thoughts?

NO! If I can't get a good shot 'in the wild' then I don't get a good shot at all! I can imagine it would be easier to stage it but it doesn't sit comfortably with me.

Regards
David

I have heard that they do and it is claimed that the bugs merely become inactive and then wake up again when they get warm.

I read it in a question on Thomas Shahan's site but I've never seen it in the real life how it's happen.
I've never used this technique in my macro shots.

Yes it is a practice (it does not harm the insects so long as you don't mistakenly put them in the deep freeze) - my wife has never let me do it

Another way is to spray very cold water on them early morning just as they are waking up - they will settle down for a couple of minutes and of course you get fantastic water droplets on them too. A few of my very favourite macro shooters use this technique with spectacular results.

Most Arthropods become more active as the sun rises and heats up their environment. Putting bugs in a container in a fridge returns the Arthropods to their waking up state although I don't think they appreciate the process. A lot of macro photography skill in relation to bugs is about understanding their behaviour and habitat, as you can then take advantage of when you are more likely to get a chance of getting a better image, Dragonflies often bask in the late afternoon sun, which makes finding them and trying to photograph them a lot easier. I personally have never put a bug in the fridge, and don't intend to do so.

I can just imagine what would happen if Mrs Geordie opened the fridge door to find a jar containing flies beetles and spiders.

Not in my fridge you wouldn't !!

I've read that this can be done.

(See this fly powered plane project :shock

My son tried it with an insect, but it didn't work and it scurried off as soon as he took it out the fridge! LOL!

Matt

Put a caterpillar back in the fridge (he was the lucky one I ate/bit its sibling in half) I figured it was okay after 4 days in there, I figured another 1/2 hour would be fine, the wife didn't agree so it got put out for the birds to try and find.

I've never captured a bug for photographing, but I have access to non-food fridges so I might get tempted to try it one day...

I made a film about taxidermy and the taxidermist took a fox from a deep freeze, it had been in it for some years. As it defrosted the fleas sprang back to life!

His technique with small reptiles like frogs w as to take live ones, give them a whiff of ether and them cover them in liquid silicone. As the silicone set the frog was waking up and they pulled it out. Result,live animal and a perfect cast. Wasn't allowed to film that bit!

I sometimes buy live mealworms to feed to the birds – the can last a week or so in the tubs they are shipped in, but for longer storage its recommended that you put then in the warmer part of the fridge.

I have never actually done this for two reasons - domestic harmony (may find myself having to fight the pigeons for scraps if I did) and the birds have usually eaten them all in a few days.