Tiny living insect behind screen EDIT Solved! Thanks guys!


atari_afternoon

Very Active Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2012
Messages
829
Location
Germany
Hi all :)
Quick question, is there an easy fix for this? It´s alive and moving (both Pandora and insect ;) ): I know it hates light, so I keep the Pandora open (i.e. lid not closed when not in use).
In front of good light (a desk lamp or even in wintertime, natural light is enough) it goes away in an hour or three.
But when i close the Pandy, over night it returns (likelihood two out of three). It just sits there and does nothing, maybe moving sloowly, coming from the corner into the middle.

I have used the search function and read throughout the internet, I guess I just have to ignore it and keep the Pandy open and in light when not in use. Back in 2005-GP2X times, there is a topic here (https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/dust-problem.19164/#post-252047) and the tips go to that effect.

How did it get in? I admit I have taped the pandora quite a bit over time, in order to keep the battery lid as closed as possible but there is are tiny gaps so maybe it got inside this way.

I tried to kill it (once it was out off the screen front) with a hanky full of Sterilium put onto screen and keyboard, with extra dry paper in front of the sctual screenm in order not to touch it, I wanted to kill it with alcohol fumes ;) and closed it, but after ten minutes I looked, glad i did, Sterilium started to leave minor traces on the case plastic so I guess I better not use any alcohol fumes anymore.

Are there any other simple idea please? I don´t mind leaving it open and in the light but this way it cannot stay in its cupboard.

Still use the Pandora almost every day after over ten years and the above is not an uncommon problem with TFT monitors, tips only include "lights on so they will go out" and "back to the dealer with it using your guarantee". What I am doing with temporary success is the opposite of tip 1: putting light right ONTO the screen rather than next to it.

It is nothing serious, just mildly annoying, like forgetting to charge it the night before ;)
 
Last edited:
Weird, i always had the impression light draws them in.
I used to turn my stuff off when i caught the little bugger.
Maybe that is heat related? cold storage may be my tip to try out.

Might be there are more than one species of bugs that like screens...
My new screen is less prone to them, havnt seen them in a while.
 
Are there any other simple idea please? I don´t mind leaving it open and in the light but this way it cannot stay in its cupboard.

An insect needs air, food and water to survive. If you have a vacuum device place your Pandora in vacuum for a few days.
If not maybe place the Pandora in a closed container without an opportunity to leave it with something that absorbs water (e.g. rice)
Will take longer then the vacuum method I think but I'd say most bugs should be dead within two weeks.

Seems the most simple approach, but if you don't have a spare you will not have a Pandora for a while then
 
You dont want it to die, you want it to crawl out.
Dead bugs are nasty, they may cause a short when rotting or just stay as a _dead pixel_.
So when i said cold storage i dont mean freezer but ~10° next to something warmer so it feels the need to leave.
 
Wow..Little Worms behind the Display?
Maybe TFT Parasites?

Maybe you can User UV Desinfector Light to make them more visible?

Maybe you got Mehlmilben...do Not know the Word in English...but i would search In the Kitchen for them.
Very Tiny and Black..Sounds like them.

But inside a Handheld?
Never heard of that..interresting.

I do know that some Displays got infected with Bacterias..but Display Parasites are new for me.


little Joke aside..
..did you Played Worms Armageddon or Parasite Eve?
 
You dont want it to die, you want it to crawl out.
Dead bugs are nasty, they may cause a short when rotting or just stay as a _dead pixel_.
So when i said cold storage i dont mean freezer but ~10° next to something warmer so it feels the need to leave.

Seems like a pretty common problem - https://superuser.com/questions/76153/removing-dead-thunderflies-stuck-inside-an-lcd-monitor
I don't think rotting will cause an issue but agree that after it dies next problem is to remove it. Maybe the link provides some hints.

Yeah, definitely try a freezer if what b_o_b said doesn't work. That won't hurt the Pandora will it?
I wouldn't place electronics in a freezer. https://techwithtech.com/putting-laptop-in-freezer-bad/

Maybe you got Mehlmilben...do Not know the Word in English
flour mites
flour-mites-mating-thierry-berrod-mona-lisa-production-science-photo-library.jpg
 
Not quite, Ingo, Im quite sure thrips is the right english word (=Gewittertierchen or Fransenflügler in german).
Thanks guys, will look into getting a vacuum machine (normally used to bag fresh food) and when Mr. Thrips wanders off the screen again Im going to "bag" the Pandora for a while.
(Im using the spare one all the time now)
 
You could try with Raid plug repeler:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=raid+plug+in
811mdFY90pL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

You put console and plug repeler next to it. It could be insect go away... or not. For mosquitos and other insects it works good, but yours could be a different type of insect.

PD: Choose the one with adequate plug for your home. Pictured is for UK.
 
Woah vacuumizing is a great Idea.

The Vacuum against Insects and the Foil is a Shield even when your Cellar is flooded.
That is a realy nice Idea for my Handhelds in the Cellar and i must not be Fear when Sometime in the Future my Cellar is flooded.

Maybe i will Buy a Vacuum Machine for protecting some expensive Things in my Cellar. :)
 
Back
Top