Thunderstorm animals and insects on the monitor - you can do that!

Fringed winged animals, also called thunderstorm animals, become active every summer - here in Germany with over 210 species. Some of them are buzzing around our home not just plants or fruits lying around. They also like to get lost in monitors. TFT monitors whose edges are not well glued or whose ventilation slots allow thunderstorm animals to penetrate are particularly affected. They then show up as dark lines on the screen. What you can do to get rid of fringed winged / storm winged / thrips or other insects, you can read here.

Live thunderstorm animals / insects on the monitor

If the insect moves between the panel glass and the diffuser film, then it is obviously still alive. This is good because it is the easiest way to get the animal out of the monitor. Switch it off and set up a light source next to it. Instead of a lamp that you let run for several hours, you can also place the monitor next to a window that lets in daylight. The external light source stimulates the insect to crawl out of the monitor. But this can take some time. So patience is required here.

Dead fringed wings on the TFT display no longer move

If the thunderstorm animal no longer moves in the monitor and you assume that it will no longer take up its activity, then there are several options for proceeding. The first consists of waiting until the thunderstorm animal has dried up. Then you can knock on the monitor housing so that the animal slides down or ideally falls out of the screen. Another option is to shake the monitor a little (if tapping doesn't help). You shouldn't push around on the display or even crush the insect, this will only make the problem bigger and possibly damage the technology.

Are insects in the monitor covered by the guarantee?

One could say that TFT and other monitors should actually be built in such a way that neither dust nor larger objects or even insects can penetrate. Ergo it should be a guarantee casebecause the manufacturer did not properly seal the display. And that's also true - at least for manufacturers who have these quality standards for their products. At Wikipedia there is even a section on this in the article on fringed winged birds:

[...] At the request of the computer magazine c't, Samsung confirmed that “no dust, animals or foreign bodies should get between the diffuser film and the TFT panel”. Other manufacturers do not rule out a warranty case, as it is a matter of "impermissible dirt particles", however, according to research by Prad.de, processing via the various service providers is differently simple.

What (not) to do with thunderstorm animals in the monitor?

So you can lure living animals out of the display, shake out deceased insects or register a warranty claim with the manufacturer. What you shouldn't do - especially during the warranty period - is unscrew the monitor and tinker with the display panel yourself. If you are familiar with TFT monitors and are technically skilled, your approach may be effective - if you have no idea about the technology, then you should rather consult a specialist and not allow further damage by tinkering around. I wish you success!

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Johannes Domke

[On vacation] After graduating from high school, Johannes completed training as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which led to his independence. He has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others, for several years now. His articles include product introductions, news, instructions, video games, consoles and much more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.

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