Bug Screens - Who uses them?

We've got a major bug population up here, especially since we live in the widest part of the Red River Valley. Andy and I have noticed a lot of cars at the junkyards with bug screens right in front of the condenser or rad, and one really nicely done set up in front of the Fairmont's grille. Now we also get those ball-bearing sized June Bugs, and I recall a news story, back in the 1960's where a motorcylist got nailed with one in the forehead, and almost died from the impact at 50 MPH. So I can imagine what that would do to an AC condenser or a rad. I'm leaning to the grille-mounted type and something at the bottom to protect the bottom of the Condenser at the Air Dam level.

Anyone else have suggestions or what they use?

 

We pretty much don't use 'em. We have more rabbits than bugs.

I think a grill mount is better because you'd at least notice when it was full and needs cleaning. I think a radiator mounted one would be forgotten until overheating. Plus a grill mounted one would afford some paint protection.

When I lived in Florida the love bug guts would literally eat the paint so grill mounted was good for that or you had to wash off the front of the car daily.

This year has been particularly buggy. We've had an invasion of Elder Bettles which is funny as we don't have a single Elder tree here. Millions of them but they get on and in buildings and pretty much stay off the streets.:banana: I think they've passed now but wow. I had to cover my coffee cup so I didn't get all the extra protein.

 

Although it's been years since I've done a road trip etc, back in the day yes I used one and if I did another big road trip I'd do it again. Remember where I grew up Norm. A couple times I remember helping Dad take the rad out just to presure wash it from the other side because of the mas amount of bugs.

Onother thing for extra saftey, Again back in the day when I lived in my work van more than at home I put a crash shield of expanded metal between the rad and the grille (leaving as much room as posible between then). Over the years I replaced several plastic grills on my vans due to rocks and suck but nothing ever got past the expanded metal and into my rads and tranny coolers.

 

I've got mosquito mesh/screen so I'll make one up. I've got another grills, and I'm thinking about making up a couple of hideaway headlite flaps but I'll wait until next year. Just a couple coax cables to pull them down behind the bumper. There's just enough room.

 

So, T, what's a rabbit screen look like

Hop right to it and get us a picture

We are hare just waiting to see one

Ok, so it has been a slow night and I just couldn't help myself

 

Hey! Do they still sell those bubble covers for the headlights in Northern BC? I remember those fugly, useful novelties being flogged all the way up the old highway on the way to PG, for protection from the logging trucks.

Saf, he had them in his cross-hares.

 

Where I live, bugs are the least of my traveling worries. It's the darn deer that ya gotta watch out for. Heck....I have a herd of over 30 on my property alone. Too many!

But I gotta tell ya....yesterday, the wife & I were up in Hartford Ct. and on the way back on I 84 a flying bug the size of a ping pong ball was introduced to my windshield. NOT pretty.

 

Yup....deer are a BIG problem here, too, BFM. Maybe Norm can design a "Bug Screen Deer Catcher" fashioned after the cow catcher's on the old trains.

 

YEAH! C'mon Norm. DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! And while yer at it, would ya mind installin' one of them there train horns too. You know.....The ones that go WOO WOOOOOOO real loud and make people crap their pants when they least expect it to blow.

 

That's what I have, the dual tone horns that sound like a train. Optional back then on Fords in Mexico. Sound great too. Yeah, I'm gonna do a bug screen for sure. Andy made a good point that outside is easier to clean.

 

Yeah, good plan, inside they get caught in your teeth and are a real bug-ger to get out

 

yes....dont do it........fugly!!!!!

much bigger screen....still fugly

what about the guys with deer problems??......kathunk.....

 

You ain't seen these bugs. Northern Ontario blackflies offer flight discounts to Australia. The wasps take you to 30,000 feet and no parachute! And those June bugs are probably the same ones that David used in his slingshot! Makes mush out of a grille!

That's when you need a low-rider and duck!

 

BIG gaps in their teeth

 

How about a hideaway cow catcher instead of the air dam?