Need to buy a camera system to detect 1" long insects in a room with no lights.

[bugsbugsbugs]

Hello,

Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong area of the forums. Tried searching for anything related to how well cameras could detect a moving insect in a dark room, but no hits.

Essentially, trying to find where some insects are getting into this room, and need something that will work rather than me simply buying something and hoping it will work. I can only assume this a long shot, but I know this is the place to ask.

Any help at all would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[wittaj]

Bugs show up great on infrared LOL. Get a varifocal and zoom in tight to areas and see the white glow of the insect LOL.

A thermal cam could probably do it as well.

 

[bugsbugsbugs]

Bugs show up great on infrared LOL. Get a varifocal and zoom in tight to areas and see the white glow of the insect LOL.

A thermal cam could probably do it as well.

So to be clear, are you suggesting that a motion detection system could detect from a view that is relatively wide? I am sure if the camera was close or zoomed in on the "offender", then it would work, but I am thinking 4 cameras in a relatively small room and want to cover 80% of the area.

edit: I would like to have a motion detection system so I could know where to look in the footage, rather than watching 8 hours of video a night to find them by "hand", eye?

Any recommendations on a 3-4 camera setup? The least expensive to get the job done, roughly, up to what it would take to do the job "well". Well, meaning whatever you personally feel would be a good system.

Thanks for your time. I really appreciate it as a long time internet user, that normally spends days googling a subject before I even begin to ask on the forums.

Cheers,

Bugs^3

edit: spelling

 

[wittaj]

Many here can attest to bugs flying all night sending off motion detection.

Many of us run the cams in color simply so we don't get images that look like this all night due to all the triggers (gnats look like a snow storm in infrared LOL):



A few cheap Amcrest camera should do the trick.

https://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-1920TVL-Security-Wireless-IP2M-841B/dp/B0145OQTPG/ref=sr_1_18?crid=6C2FR6W6KDFH&keywords=amcrest&qid=1649559791&sprefix=amcrest%2Caps%2C343&sr=8-18

Or go more expensive with a thermal camera:

 

[bugsbugsbugs]

You are a scholar and a gentleman!

I will give it a go. Specifically, I am looking to detect silverfish, which may or may not blend in with the surroundings well enough to be difficult to detect. I will give it a try.

Thanks again for your prompt reply. My faith in humanity is restored! Lol, Oh heavens no! Can't go there. The world is FUBAR!!

Cheers,

 

[wittaj]

Yeah, go with one cheap camera to try.

I know we are all annoyed by bugs on our cams, so watch with you wanting to see them they not show up LOL.

If not, then thermal would be the way to go. A quick search shows many exterminators use thermal cams:

Palmetto Exterminators | Superior Pest, Termite & Mosquito Control

Palmetto Exterminators provides superior pest control, termite control, and mosquito control services. Get your free pest inspection today!

www.palmettoexterminators.net

Thermal Imaging Cameras - Professional Pest Manager

Mal Brewer of Termite Solutions in QLD believes thermal cameras are a must-have tool for pest inspectors.

professionalpestmanager.com

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[TonyR]

edit: I would like to have a motion detection system so I could know where to look in the footage, rather than watching 8 hours of video a night to find them by "hand", eye?

+1 to deploying the Amcrest IP2M-841's indoors.

I suggest you run Blue Iris on a PC, set to record "continuous + triggered", review the timeline to see when triggered. You can also have BI skip to the the next motion-triggered event that was recorded with one mouse click or play at 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x or 64x speed as well.

You can install and run a trial of BI for 15 days to see how it works for you. Basic "motion zones" can be set for min. object size and contrast. I run 4 of the 841's with Blue Iris now.

When I set an 841 one outdoors on the next-to-bottom step of 6 steps leading up to my front porch 2 summers ago to spot armadillos at night it would pick up millipedes, crickets and spiders crawling in the summer grass 6 feet away....no joke!

Additional, external IR emitters can also be added if needed to supplement the IR coming from the IP camera(s).

 

[bugsbugsbugs]

Thanks everyone. The cameras will arrive in 2 days. I will leave this tab open on my comp and report back my trials and tribulations. Assuming, this doesn't get lost in my line of tabs that I leave open to someday organize.

Cheers, and may the bugs become camera shy and never appear again!

 

[johnfitz]

I know we are all annoyed by bugs on our cams, so watch with you wanting to see them they not show up LOL.

It's not Murphy's law... from a recent headline "Silverfish leaders deploy new counter measures after recent surveillance suggests uptick in exterminator internet activity."

I will leave this tab open on my comp and report back my trials and tribulations.

Cool

Assuming, this doesn't get lost in my line of tabs that I leave open to someday organize.

Not cool, looking forward to seeing the bugs...

 

[bugsbugsbugs]

Cameras came today, but I apparently don't have my WIFI broadcasting on 2.4Ghz, so have to dig into my router software and change that. Heading into work now so that will have to wait.

I will DL BlueIris and kick the tires. Can I assume that if I use Blue Iris that I will not need to use this Amcrest android app for initial setup?

Here come the bugs!

Cheers

 

[wittaj]

Blue Iris simply takes the video stream and records it. Any settings to the camera itself should be done within the camera GUI itself.

Personally I just log into the camera by going to Explorer and typing in the IP address of the camera and going thru the steps. Others prefer the app. To each their own.

 

[bugsbugsbugs]

Had a busy week at work. Will get that WiFi issue resolved this weekend.

 

[bugsbugsbugs]

Ok, not having an easy go of it. I can get the cameras to work when I have the network cable attached, but not with WiFi only. Oddly, when I choose the ethernet method of initializing the cameras, It won't see my network being broadcast. However, if I try the WiFi install option, but plug in the ethernet cable, it will figure it all out. Take out the network cable and no connection. I checked to make sure it was broadcasting on 2.4Ghz as well as 5Ghz. Other thing, I should have picked up the POE version since I have a Cisco switch with POE capability, so could have had less wires to deal with. Oh well.

In any case, I will just try to see how well it works tonight with just one camera, and see if these Cams will be what I need.

 

[Ssayer]

Can you set your wifi to 2.4Ghz only? If what I just read is correct, that might just do it. I could be wrong, won't be the first time, but it sure sounds like that might be the issue...

 

[TonyR]

Ok, not having an easy go of it. I can get the cameras to work when I have the network cable attached, but not with WiFi only. Oddly, when I choose the ethernet method of initializing the cameras, It won't see my network being broadcast. However, if I try the WiFi install option, but plug in the ethernet cable, it will figure it all out. Take out the network cable and no connection. I checked to make sure it was broadcasting on 2.4Ghz as well as 5Ghz. Other thing, I should have picked up the POE version since I have a Cisco switch with POE capability, so could have had less wires to deal with. Oh well.

In any case, I will just try to see how well it works tonight with just one camera, and see if these Cams will be what I need.

After setting up 2 dozen IPM-721's and IP2M-841's, this works for me to get them onto the local Wi-Fi:

• Install Fing on your smartphone or tablet and get onto your LAN's Wi-Fi with the smartphone.
• Run cable from router LAN port to camera.
• Perform factory reset on camera by pushing LED button on right rear until it turns red.
• When LED on rear of camera is green, perform scan with Fing and locate the cam's IP.
• With Chrome or Chromium-based browser, log into cam's webGUI with that found IP.
• Go to cam's "Setup" => "Network" => "Wi-Fi" tab, double-click on SSID of your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, input security code and click on "Connect".
• Go to cam's "Network => "TCP/IP" tab. Under "Ethernet Card" select drop-down of "wireless" and click on "Set as default"; click on "Save".
• If you're OK with the IP assigned by your router's DHCP server, click on radio button for "static" and click on "save". Write down that IP address.
• Unplug wired connection.
• Power down cam, wait 10 sec's, power back up.
• Wait 60 seconds, cam should be online wirelessly at the IP you wrote down.

NOTES:
1) The cam won't use the wireless IP if the Ethernet cable is still plugged in, even if the wireless is set to be the "Default" connection !
2) The wired connection and the wireless each have their own unique IP address!

 

[bugsbugsbugs]

Thanks for that detailed explanation. I currently have the cam running with ethernet attached to test out the capabilities. The IR is very clear and I fully expect that I will be able to see any of the offenders should they appear in the camera's view. Not sure which settings in the trigger is best, but I will work on that.

Will go through those steps tomorrow as I just checked the forum now right before bed.

Thanks again! I bought Blue Iris already and glad to support it even if it turns out I don't use for this project. I am sure I will use it for something eventually.

 

[IAmATeaf]

Personally I’d leave BI to record continuously for a few nights, also set up up motion detection but at worst you’ll have to scrub through recorded footage thereby ensuring you miss nothing and can hopefully then pinpoint the offenders entry/exit routes.

 

[Smilingreen]

Personally, I would have just called the bugman to come spray.......but that's just me......

 

[bugsbugsbugs]

Personally, I would have just called the bugman to come spray.......but that's just me......

Yeah, I know, but there is a good reason I can't do that very very unfortunately.

 

[bugsbugsbugs]

After setting up 2 dozen IPM-721's and IP2M-841's, this works for me to get them onto the local Wi-Fi:

• Install Fing on your smartphone or tablet and get onto your LAN's Wi-Fi with the smartphone.
• Run cable from router LAN port to camera.
• Perform factory reset on camera by pushing LED button on right rear until it turns red.
• When LED on rear of camera is green, perform scan with Fing and locate the cam's IP.
• With Chrome or Chromium-based browser, log into cam's webGUI with that found IP.
• Go to cam's "Setup" => "Network" => "Wi-Fi" tab, double-click on SSID of your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, input security code and click on "Connect".
• Go to cam's "Network => "TCP/IP" tab. Under "Ethernet Card" select drop-down of "wireless" and click on "Set as default"; click on "Save".
• If you're OK with the IP assigned by your router's DHCP server, click on radio button for "static" and click on "save". Write down that IP address.
• Unplug wired connection.
• Power down cam, wait 10 sec's, power back up.
• Wait 60 seconds, cam should be online wirelessly at the IP you wrote down.

NOTES:
1) The cam won't use the wireless IP if the Ethernet cable is still plugged in, even if the wireless is set to be the "Default" connection !
2) The wired connection and the wireless each have their own unique IP address!

This worked perfectly! Thanks!!