If you’ve been reading Photocritic for a while, you’ll have seen my post on how to make a killing jar (and the dozens of comments to the effect that it was mean to kill insects) and the backlash which was ‘why kill ‘em, when taking live photos of insects is far better?’

With that, I expected it all to be over and done with, but I did get a comment which I think deserves a post all of its own. You’ll never guess how this reader suggests to stun insects before photographing them…

Eh check it out i know of a way to put insects into an almost comatose like state that would allow you to manipulate them touch move and almost damn near do anything you want to them…

This is going to sound strange and maybe even harsh but believe when i say through extensive research and study it does work and the insects depending on the extreme may or may not survive…you ready MARIJUANA…YES I HAVE DONE THIS MYSELF AND KNOW IT WORKS!

Ok you have a blunt joint or what ever you rolled it up to smoke with hell even a bong would work… you take a regular jar or cup preferably a mason jar with a lid to trap the insect.

Once trapped on the jar you dont kill it: light the blunt and either hit it or turn it around for a shotgun. crack the jar and blow the smoke in be careful not to let the bug out but fill the jar with smoke FILL IT all the way up… Let it sit until you see the wasp drop they will be very high and it will be evident they will still move and be alive…

Remove the top and turn jar over to drop the bug out of the smoke… You will only have a short time for the insects senses come back and it starts moving and walking around shortly after they will try to take flight but will only be able to fly in circles for a short time.

NOTE… remember it is weed and they are high they can overdose and die the longer submerged in the smoke or even if you recapture and try again a little while later they might die immediately. Like i said wasps work better they seem to withstand the THC a little better… Flies die immediately… Bees are kind of funny they die easily but if done repeatedly to a number of bees it seems they like it and come back for more EVERY TIME IF IM LYIN IM DYIN….BUT that takes a while and require a different method.

(I know all of this because I had a beehive behind my house that i baked out with a bunch of times and the bees became very tame and easily handled they had no interest in stinging anything and always came out when i smoked in my backyard)

This tip was sent by an anonymous submitter – if you’re out there, drop me an e-mail and let me know who I should attribute this to!

Also, while this post is true to the spirit of the tip, I’ve tidied it up a little: It was littered with spelling, typing, and grammatical errors. I fear perhaps the commenter had taken a little too much of his own medicine before clicking the ‘send’ button. Thanks muchly, though – it might just be the golden middle way between photographing live and dead insect… They might just be slightly mashed, though. Man.

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