Installing a Ring alarm is an excellent step towards bolstering your home security system.
With this setup, you can easily monitor your space or lawn for any movement, helping you keep your mind at rest. However, this could easily become an annoyance if it can be set off even by insects.
Bugs and spiders can set off Ring motion detectors. Despite their size, bugs, insects, and other small animals emit enough infrared energy to activate the motion sensors when in close proximity to them.
This article will discuss critical questions regarding Ring motion detectors, including what triggers them, why bugs and spiders can trigger motion detectors, and what you can do to prevent this from happening.
If you have recently installed this alarm system, this article will prove valuable to you.
What Triggers Ring Motion Detectors?
Ring motion detectors are activated when an organism that emits infrared energy is detected. This means that even small animals can trigger these alarm systems when they get too close to the sensors.
The Ring motion detector has integrated heat sensors capable of detecting motion by assessing any changes in heat measurement in the given detection area.
This is how your sensor is able to detect when a person or animal comes into the surrounding area. Unfortunately, this also includes small animals such as bugs and spiders.
To make things worse, these critters are drawn to motion sensors, especially during the night.
As explained in the Ring community forum, small animals such as bugs, spiders, and moths tend to be attracted to the motion light on your motion detector and circle around it.
If your motion detector is set to the highest setting, it will detect this as motion and notify you of movement.
Why It Is Important To Minimize False Alarms
When motion is detected, the ring motion detector sends out an alarm.
False alarms resulting from small animals such as bugs and spiders can have many negative implications, such as:
- They can cost you money. When the alarm is triggered, a dispatch request is made to first responders. False alarms can cost you heavy fees if there is no actual security threat.
- They can lead to poor emergency responses. If your alarm is constantly set off by non-threats such as bugs and spiders and results in wasted valuable time, it may give your home a bad reputation and slow down responses.
- You can have your permit revoked or suspended when the number of false alarms is too high. This places you at a higher degree of risk in the time of an actual emergency.
It’s crucial to minimize false alarms and detection associated with small animals.
I will discuss some of the actions you can take below.
How To Minimize False Alarms From Bugs and Spiders
Some motion detectors arrive with a bug guard to prevent false alarms from small insects.
If you don’t have one, there are several steps you can take to avoid the issue.
Install the Motion Detector Away From Bugs and Spiders
One of the most straightforward approaches to preventing bugs and spiders from setting off your alarm is to install your device in areas that are difficult for them to access.
Place your alarm somewhere free of spiders and preferably in a lit section that will not attract bugs during the night.
Of course, you shouldn’t compromise on security when picking a place for your motion detector.
Prioritize setting it up in high traffic areas, in corners, over doorways, and about six to eight feet up.
Some of these areas can be magnets for bugs, so be sure to check the next tips.
On the same topic, if you have a pet that you leave outdoors during the night, consider placing the sensor somewhere they won’t be prowling around.
Lower the Sensitivity Level
You can also lower the sensitivity level on your Ring motion detector.
This way, your alarm will be able to detect a human intruder but will not be activated as a result of spiders, bugs, or moths.
Be sure to test that your sensor will still be able to detect a human if you decide to try this solution.
The Ring Alarm motion detector features multiple settings for motion detection, so you can adjust these settings to meet your specific preferences.
Invest in a Bug Guard
An effective way to prevent bugs and spiders from accessing the lens is to invest in a bug guard.
A bug guard helps prevent insects from coming in contact with the motion detector and protects your device against pests that could chew on the wires and compromise the connection.
Use Bug Repellants or Zappers
You can also minimize false alarms by eliminating the bugs and spiders that cause them.
For instance, you can install bug zappers around your motion detectors to kill bugs or spiders before they get too close to the alarm.
Alternatively, you can apply some insect repellant on areas surrounding the motion detector or at its base to deter bugs and spiders from getting too close.
For moths, you can try out the Armour Shell Lavender and Cedar Sachet Bags, available on Amazon.com. They are easy to hang and use natural scents, making them safe for you and your family.
For bugs and other insects, try out the Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent Lotion.
It provides up to 14 hours of protection and dries out quickly.
Can Bugs or Spiders Set Off Ring Motion Detectors Conclusion
False alarms caused by bugs and spiders are a common issue for most new ring motion detection installations.
These can be solved through two main approaches: lowering the sensitivity level on your motion detectors or keeping the bugs and insects at bay with insect repellents.
Suppose you suspect that pests, rodents, or bugs have triggered your alarm.
In that case, it is always advisable to cancel the notification to first responders as early as possible.
Make the necessary adjustments to the settings to prevent the same issue from happening again.