Removing dead thunderflies stuck inside an LCD monitor

This summer my flat was "attacked" by hundreds of tiny thunderflies, some of which managed to get behind the screen of my LCD. A few of the cursed creatures went and died right in the middle of the display:

a thunderfly enters the LCD

And yes, this is real. Imagine my surprise when I saw one of these things crawling across the monitor, tried to swat the thing and realized it was inside!

How do I go about removing them?

I have tried tapping the screen and shaking it but to no avail. They are very annoying to look at because they look like groups of dead pixels, or even (.) characters.

Mike Weller

Posted 2009-11-27T21:18:09.047

Reputation: 753

Yeah, I have the same problem. One little fly went into display and died there. I also though this is not possible... until I say it on my own eyes. – Al Kepp – 2015-01-28T22:34:30.957

Not that it's going to actually solve the problem, but it may become less annoying if you change your source code editor color scheme to bright text on dark background. – Headcrab – 2016-08-07T11:24:41.883

Also known as thunderbugs or thrips. – Tony Edgecombe – 2016-08-19T12:16:00.693

1@JMD: +1 for interrobang. – Wuffers – 2011-04-28T23:15:15.463

6Why isnt thunderflies a tag? – Keltari – 2011-08-21T23:42:40.047

1Underflies! I have a dead underfly under the LCD display on my frig, and a dead underfly under the LCD display on my garage door opener, but have never seen one in a monitor. – Witness Protection ID 44583292 – 2011-09-13T20:08:45.803

– Mr.Wizard – 2013-06-14T06:59:28.287

16+1 for causing me to learn something new just to read your question ("Thunderflies"? Who'da thunk it‽) and also because I had no idea this problem was even possible, much less a Google-able problem. – JMD – 2009-11-27T21:22:14.280

19what a pity ... sell it on ebay as a very effective 24" "thunderfly trap" (tag line: dead flies are put on display to scare off further attackers) and buy a new monitor :) – None – 2009-11-27T21:26:33.193

Answers

I'll give a try :)

if your monitor external layer is plastic, (for big LCD screens I think its plastic and it's just for protection)

get one of those suction cups, stick it on the screen where there is a Thunderflies, then pull it softly to make a little space between the two layer so that thing will have some space to move

now, tap the screen or shake it and they will throw at the bottom of the screen.

hope it work for you. :)

suction

user8228

Posted 2009-11-27T21:18:09.047

Reputation:

1"I'm experiencing the same bug" - pun semi intended. It seems the bug is dead (it leaked a clear liquid). It sits behind the perspex plate and the light reflector plastic at the back. The suction cup thing isn't working too well, but it might just be, because it's not dried out enough yet. I'll report back how things go. – polemon – 2015-07-08T21:05:24.127

So I got one of these bugs in my monitor today. I thought it was a small bug -on- the screen and lightly batted at it to move it. It was very light pressure, but it was enough to squish it. So unfortunately I think a suction cup would just squish the bug as you pushed the cup onto the screen. Best to let the bug crawl away. – Jemmeh – 2017-07-07T02:16:59.617

I have had this TWICE s I would suspect it is a common problem - I learnt last time that a thunder-fly's real name is "thrips" but I've never heard them called thrips.. everyone called them thunderflies here.. but not google.. anyway.. both times there is only 1 way out -> (see next post) – Mr Heelis – 2017-07-24T13:14:29.640

if it is alive set your screen backdrop to be all "black" (on, but with a BLACK background) take off all icons, everything.. all black.. but "on"... and put a white notepad window along the edge at the bottom, woggle the notepad (white) window about on the black background every 30 minutes you'll eventually see it "walking" towards your notepad white box.. eventually it'll settle in the no visible part of the screen at he bottom.. then LET IT DIE. I would suggest not using the monitor for at least 48 hours.. it'll walk back to the light if you let it – Mr Heelis – 2017-07-24T13:14:42.057

if it is DEAD then you're stuffed buy a new monitor.. The layer it is "in" is not accessible by "lifting the front with a suction cup" - but you CAN crush it by the snap back back - interestingly BENQ replaced the "DEAD THUNDERFLY PIXEL" monitor under a 5 year warranty, DELL (the second time) would not but I was able to get it while it was alive – Mr Heelis – 2017-07-24T13:15:42.820

At first this looks like ingenious idea, but when I tried it I really doubt this helped anyone ever. – Vlastimil Ovčáčík – 2018-09-21T13:58:08.317

Some cat toys have this suction cup if you don't know how to get one. – Vlastimil Ovčáčík – 2018-09-21T16:06:46.240

5For the record this didn't work for me but I still think it's an ingenious solution and might work for others. This summer I resorted to using a desk lamp to draw the flies away from my displays and towards the lamp instead. – Mike Weller – 2010-12-19T19:09:00.827

1Must screen/laptop be shut down when doing this? – Boris_yo – 2011-08-13T07:07:21.867

1Does this solution apply to laptops' LCD screens? – Boris_yo – 2011-08-13T11:56:11.053

2Hmm, it might just work... I'll give this a try. – Mike Weller – 2009-11-28T13:22:32.803

5Just hope that the initial "squidge" when you apply this doesn't squash it further and make it smudge! – William Hilsum – 2009-11-29T09:36:23.303

Wow! Thunderflies... I wasn't really sure if they are related to Thunderbirds, but wow! I have never seen them let alone heard of them. I guess the best way to get rid of them is to do this, also you did not mention what kind of LCD screen you have.

The general idea on getting rid of them:

Look for screws that are hidden under some plastic grommits around the edges at the back of the LCD. Lie the LCD face down on top of a soft material or clothing, try protect the lcd screen itself first (use bubble wrap)
Unscrew the screws, and gently pry open the back cover...do not pry to hard as you could damage the clips that could be in place.
Gently lift off the back cover. This bit can be tricky, Look around and see if the front of the LCD screen is clipped on to something in the back, if you do see it, gently, unclip it, then gently flip the LCD over making sure you hold the inside in it's place.
Now you should be able to remove the front of the LCD, lift it off gently (provided you have checked for the clips and is unclipped in place).
Wipe clean and remove the thunderflies.
Reverse the instructions for putting the cover back on from 4 backwards to 1 in the above.

t0mm13b

Posted 2009-11-27T21:18:09.047

Reputation: 723

Wow... First +1 for something I haven't seen before and truly amazing!

Next, I am not really to sure - If your monitor has a layer such as glass or plastic, your best bet will be to open it up, remove the layer and get it out.

However if it is actually just a standard monitor and these flies are that small they can get in between the layers, I do not think they can be removed without causing significant damage to your panel.

William Hilsum

Posted 2009-11-27T21:18:09.047

Reputation: 111 572

I had a bug directly in the middle of my monitor and I removed him by disassembling the monitor.

So there are four layers in your monitor:

backlight
diffuser
LCD
front facing outermost protective plastic/glass layer

I thought the bug was right behind the first layer, between LCD and glass. However as I found out these two layers are permanently glued and sealed. That's a good news as no bugs get in.

I found the bug (actually 3 of them, two that I didn't know of) between diffuser and LCD. This space can be quite easily reached with just basic tools (pry tool, flat and Phillips screwdriver) within 30 minutes. You can follow detailed steps in Acer Thin Bezel Monitor Disassembly.

And here are the dead bugs sitting on diffuser sheet:

Vlastimil Ovčáčík

Posted 2009-11-27T21:18:09.047

Reputation: 1 835

You should turn your monitor off as soon as you spot them, usually they will make their way out again, if you leave it on then they will stay and bathe in all that lovely light.

Tony Edgecombe

Posted 2009-11-27T21:18:09.047

Reputation: 223

I like moving my cursor over them, and watching them navigate the "maze of light" I've made for them. – Jonathan – 2017-07-21T08:08:10.560