Wasps

[BullDaisy]

Hi!  I recently installed two cameras and I'm constantly receive alerts from wasps.  I've sprayed the area with wasp deterant but can't seem to get rid of them.  Any suggestions on how to avoid such wasp activity?

[TomMac]

In my case, they come an go after a short while... usu not a long term issue unless a nest is nearby.

Do you see them going inot a crack/opening nearby?

In meanwhile you can try and lower the sense level a small amount at a time

[Reyesincc]

Has anyone tried the black camera sleeves? Could be the white cameras could resemble a wasp nest.

[jguerdat]

I don't have many insect issues but i do have two cameras with black skins.  One seems to attract spiders like crazy although I think it's the position that causes this.  I'll move it sooner or later to see if that helps.

[Avatar76]

Can confirm that the black skins do not work, have them on all cameras at my property and wasps are still attracted to cameras. 
After reading a few discussions on the motion detection mechanisms in use here, it would appear that the camera motion detection works off infra red and thereby these wasps are probably able to detect the presence of it, at the point the motion detection is activated the camera switches on recording. 

I do not think stepping down sensitivity is a good solution as the cameras will be compromised for detecting intruders, if something got up right on the lens of the camera I'd damn well want to know about it.

Other than turning the camera off I have no idea how you could stop them from doing this, it is annoying as heck though, Netgear is there a possibility of playing a noise that would deter insects from the camera?

[jguerdat]

Don't forget that the IR motion detection is a passive system - it just reads what is presented to it.  The only outgoing IR is in the night vision IR illuminators which likely is at a time when the wasps aren't around.

I doubt a noise would deter insects - I've never seen nor heard of such a thing. Besides, that would probably run the battery down in short order since it would have to play all the time. Nature happens and we really can't control it.

[Avatar76]

@jguerdatwrote:

The only outgoing IR is in the night vision IR illuminators which likely is at a time when the wasps aren't around.

Do you have an proof of that, as much as I would like to believe that, the wasps are 100% attracted to something on the Arlo cameras, if it's not the infrared it's something like smells / aromas resembling pheromones it's that level of attraction to the cameras that I see.  I would be very interested in someone putting a true infrared camera on the cameras in "daytime" conditions, and recording what the cameras look like.

I doubt a noise would deter insects - I've never seen nor heard of such a thing. Besides, that would probably run the battery down in short order since it would have to play all the time. Nature happens and we really can't control it.

Yeah well the ideal situation would be that the cameras don't emit IR in daytime conditions and only work passively agreed.

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[jguerdat]

No proof here but also no wasps that come to any of my 10 cameras at night. It sounds more like you have a nest near the camera than IR attracting them.

You can alsways turn off Night Vision in your camera settings to test. You may need external lighting to make this test useful.

[youtee1]

It has everything to do with the permanent magnets used to mount the cameras. Wasps are highly sensitive to magnetic fields and are attracted to them regardless of the color of the camera.

[jguerdat]

In over 3 years of using only the magnetic mounts, I've never had a wasp problem. 

[steve_t]

I've had a wasp nest form on the fence about two feet away from a camera and I can't say I've observed any attraction to the camera or magnetic mount. I do get a lot of spiders forming webs across the lens though. This is typically only visible on videos at night. I use an insect barrier spray but some people have said they use peppermint oil to repel insects

[TNguy]

It is not the magnets. I am having the same problem with outdoor security cameras (Blink, not Netgear) in the middle of the day, and not using magnets. Wasps land right on the lens several times a day.

[alligusto]

FYI, I don't have any info at hand that looks like the model numbers on the prompt. Hardware is H7 and Firmware is 1.2 16720

I have a camera mounted outside and have had issues with wasps for the past two years. Today I have had about 40+ hits making the motion detection usless.  I have just discovered that we are not alone, others have the same issue. Last year we hung a mesh bag near the camera holding a lemon, with cloves inserted.  I recieved less hits, but clearly not the answere. 

I am surprised and very disappointed that Arlo doesn't have a solution/suggestion for this problem. I guess I/We are on our own!  This is my plan:

1) Will place the mesh bag close to the camera like last year.  This year I will use moth balls

2) I plan to spray the area around the camera with Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent. 

3) Will attempt to find the nest and exterminate the wasps/hornets. 

I realize that this is not a very scientific approach and clearly violates enough rules that prevent a clear conclusion from being made.  We/I am throwing the kitchin sink at the isssue.  For obvious reasons I need the security cameras to be operational.      

[Electriceyes]

We are new to the Arlo family. And we also have a wasp problem, and they are eating there weight in battery life!! Something we did last year, not for security reason but because of wasp. Take a brown paper bag, puff it out, stuff with plastic bags, that’s what we used, shape it some, hang it up. The wasps thinks it’s a hornets nest, and that’s a enemy. It got some rain on it last year but it worked! This year it’s not new to them so we are gonna try moving it. Hope this helps, I’ll definitely let you know.