Bugs

[Rip Tide]

I got 'em.
Just put a rabbit skin/mask and a whole grouse pelt in the trash and a couple of shopping bags full of questionable stuff in the freezer. They got into the chicken necks but not a lot of damage there so far. Thank you Jebus

Any tips on making sure they're dead would be helpful

[kelkay]

Freeze, put in microwave, refreeze. If they are bad, as it seems it may be...I would let it thaw outside for two-four days, then refreeze. Then I would wash them in Dawn dishwashing soap, and let them dry very well. Then I would make very sure you put them in zip lock bags. Put the bags in a moth balled container such as a plastic tube with a locking lid. Keep this away from your other materials for a few weeks. If you see no problems, you are free and clear. I know lots of people use moth balls, and a piece of flea collar cut off, that is placed in a container. Cedar is another repellent, but I would trust moth balls more.

[Jimmie]

OH man ! Here's the stupid question of the day. How do you tell when you've got 'em? Can you see them or just the damage that they've done? I don't want 'em.

[wovenstonefly]

Bad news man!

YouTube - Pearl Jam - Bugs

YouTube - Pearl Jam - Bugs

[Rip Tide]

Originally Posted by Jimmie

OH man ! Here's the stupid question of the day. How do you tell when you've got 'em? Can you see them or just the damage that they've done? I don't want 'em.

That and little beetles crawling around !

[Frank Whiton]

Getting rid of bugs on feathers is not hard. Any new hackles or fur should be isolated from your other items until you know they are clean. Bringing a new neck into your warm tying room will accelerate the hatching of eggs. Eggs is usually where you get into trouble. A good washing in a dish detergent will get rid of eggs and bugs. Let the feathers soak for at least thirty minutes. Just make sure you dry them thoroughly before you store them. Any feathers that get bent or out of shape can be restored by steaming them. A good way to isolate new feathers are in wide mouthed Mason jars or Poly bags. Then when you know they are clean you can combine with your other tying materials.

So here is a good procedure to follow.

1. Isolate new feathers in jar or poly bag in a warm room. If no bugs in a week or two you are good to go.

2. Feathers with bugs wash in detergent soaking for at least thirty minutes.

3. Completely dry the feathers and store in jar or poly bag. Steam any feathers that are not laying flat after the washing.


Hides are harder to deal with but boiling in water for a few minutes will get rid of the bugs. you then need to throughly dry the hide before storage.

Frank

[seajay]

Were these store bought or stuff you prepped yourself?
Also what do these bugs look like? Or what are they specifically?

[Rip Tide]

Originally Posted by seajay

Were these store bought or stuff you prepped yourself?
Also what do these bugs look like? Or what are they specifically?

Although everything has been in my material collection for years, it was the "harvested" stuff rather that the store bought that suffered the most damage, but I'm not sure that it made a difference.
Like I said above, there were little black beetles crawling around, but I'm sure it's the larva that does the damage
Our early American home (money pit ) is 220 years old and has in the past had problems with "powder post beetles". These bugs look very much the same, but I don't really know

[peregrines]

Eeeek-- good luck Paul--- i live in constant fear of something like that---

I'm sure you've gotten great advice from all so far--- One thing i'll add is that i talked to Charlie Collins (from Collins Hackle) and he recommends "Enoz Moth Crystals" it's supposed to have a more powerful active ingredient than regular moth balls.

After you do the washing in Dawn or whatever dish soap, blow drying and then nuking in a micro wave, you might also want to add some of the moth crystals to whatever you've got.

Good luck---

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

I second moth crystals (you can get the ones that kill stuff)

Chris

Originally Posted by peregrines

Eeeek-- good luck Paul--- i live in constant fear of something like that---

I'm sure you've gotten great advice from all so far--- One thing i'll add is that i talked to Charlie Collins (from Collins Hackle) and he recommends "Enoz Moth Crystals" it's supposed to have a more powerful active ingredient than regular moth balls.

After you do the washing in Dawn or whatever dish soap, blow drying and then nuking in a micro wave, you might also want to add some of the moth crystals to whatever you've got.

Good luck---