Bugamak — magnetic confinement of bugs instead of plasma — a DIY specimen container for field macro photography

First posted on 2026-04-24, updated on 2026-05-13

Kirill Kryukov, Rumiko Suzuki

Abstract

One of the difficulties in field photography of living arthropods is the tendency of the subject to abruptly fly away mid-shoot. Here we introduce bugamak - a simple container design that helps to constrain the movement of a creature, while presenting it for convenient imaging. Bugamak consists of two lens protection filters, held together with a magnetic adapter.

Introduction

Field macro photography of live arthropods is a wonderful scientific and artistic (as well as autistic) endeavor. It normally involves close proximity to subject, and bright flashes for illumination. Many arthropod species have low tolerance to such process and will try to get away as quickly as they can. Therefore, preventing their escape is a prerequisite for successful imaging.

Ordinary methods for constraining subject movements include: a bug net, holding the bug by the wings or legs, and a killing jar. Not satisfied with these solutions for various reasons, we looked for something like a transparent container. Experiments with various glass and plexiglas enclosures did not produce satisfactory results. After exhausting other possibilities we eventually arrived at the bugamak design, which we present here.

Method

Design. Bugamak is a DIY enclosure, consisting of four parts: two lens protection filters, and two magnetic rings (Fig. "Bugamak-1"). The name "bugamak" refers to the use of magnets, somewhat resembling magnetic confinement used in a tokamak, except that here we confine bugs instead of plasma. This design uses off-the-shelf, easily available and affordable parts, and is a pleasure to use in the field. The idea is entirely obvious, and we are sharing it only because we haven't seen it described elsewhere yet.

Assembling a bugamak:
1. Screw in one of the filters into one magnetic ring.
2. Screw in the other filter into another magnetic ring.
3. Bring the two magnetic rings together until they snap closed with a satisfying click.

Choice of the filters. Hundreds of filter models are available, which can be confusing. When in doubt, refer to these points:
1. Circular shape: bugamak needs circular screw-on filters (the most common type).
2. Clear glass: stick to non-colored transparent filters, such as protection filters, or UV-cut filters.
3. Coating: look for filters made of multi-coated glass. Such coating aims to minimize reflections, which especially helps when using flash.
4. With the above considerations, normally pick the cheapest filters you can find. (Higher grade filters may or may not help, please let us know if you'll make any comparisons).

Example search terms that you can try: "67mm lens protection filter", "67mm magnetic lens filter adapter".

Diameter. You can use filters of any diameter. In particular, they don't have to fit your camera lens, since you won't be attaching them to your lens. In our case we picked 67 mm, which seems to work fine for most subjects. Of course, get larger filters if you plan on capturing something larger.

Magnetic rings. A pair of magnetic rings is a readily available accessory allowing quickly snapping the filter to the lens. Their diameter must match the filters.

Double bugamak. Bugamak can be enlarged by adding a spacer ring, or another pair of magnetic rings. This could allow encapsulating larger species, such as camel crickets, rhinoceros beetles, etc.

Results

Example photos. Fig. "Examples" shows a few photos enabled by bugamak.

A

B

C

In particular, Fig. "Examples"A shows the underside of a Sciara fly [iNatSciara], which can be difficult to see otherwise. Such ventral view can be crucial for species identification. Fig. "Examples"B shows a side view of a Phortica fly [iNatPhortica], which is hard to get with a restless living specimen.

Image quality. The main drawback of bugamak is the slight reduction of image sharpness. Shooting at the right angle helps, but still resolving the fine details is compromised by the extra layer of glass. Naturally, if the alternative is no photo at all due to subject flying away, then the slight loss of sharpness can be seen as acceptable tradeoff.

Dust. Interestingly, bugamak quickly collects dust, possibly due to some electro-static attraction. Any such particles can be clearly seen on an otherwise spotless background, especially when magnified with a macro lens. Frequent cleaning with a microfiber cloth helps somewhat.

Capture techniques. Bugamak combines nicely with a bug net, as it's easy to transfer the catch from the net into the container. It also works well by itself with slower specimens. We found that with some practice (and luck) it can be used to snatch flying insects straight out of the air, for instance the annoying Phortica on Fig. "Examples"B was caught this way.

Discussion

Bugamak is a simple and effective container, made out of cheap off-the-shelf parts. It allows observing and photographing the captured specimen without worrying that it may escape. Importantly, it enables convenient access to the lateral and ventral views of the specimen, which may be difficult to obtain otherwise.

The main downside of bugamak is the slight reduction of image sharpness due to the extra glass layer. This makes it harder to see the fine details, which is especially important with small specimens.

Overall, bugamak has the potential of substantially improving the quality of field macro photography of live specimens, increasing the likelihood that they can be identified, and contributing to documenting biodiversity.

References