These “bugs” people talk about in their feathers – can you see them? My necks, etc., are in a sealed plastic container that gets rather dusty inside. Is that the telltale sign of preditation? I’ve read here that dropping a moth ball into the container will do the trick. Just drop the ball in the box? Is that all there is too it? Close inspection didn’t reveal any insects and I wouldn’t be able to see a mite without a microscope. Look forward to your wisdom. JGW
JGW;
I use “Hot Shot” pest strips (I think they used to be Shell No Pest Strips). Cut them into smaller peices and but them in the containers. The actually kill most bug with out the smell of moth balls which, I believe only repel bugs.
White,
With all due respect to Jack, I’m afraid of the toxicity of Hotshot Pest Strips. :shock: I don’t want to handle something that kills flies that happen to light on the feathers that have been left out on a fly-tying table.
I use dog or cat flea collars to protect my material. You have the same odor-free protection but a little more safety. I cut a 1-2 inch strip of flea collar and place it in each plastic bag of materials. I also put a quarter collar in the corner of each drawer. It’s worked very well for me.
A couple of hints if you decide to go the flea :roll: collar route. Do not buy your collars at a pet store. I get mine at Dollar Tree for a buck apiece. In fact, I stock up in the Spring when collars are easy to find. 8T
Get dog collars instead of cat collars. Dog collars are a lot bigger and are usually the same price.
Keep materials out of your mouth including your finger that handled materials.
Wash hands after tying sessions.
Try 'um, you’ll like!
JGW;
Eight Thumbs makes a good point. I fact Shell stopped producing the No Pest Strips when it was learned that youngsters thought they were candy and tried to eat it!!
I have to stop at the Dollar General store today and I’ll put flea collars on my list.
Guess I’m a little old fashioned. I put a few moth balls in a plastic 35mm film can (remember film?) with a 1/4" hole drilled in the lid. Then just dropped it into a Rubbermaid 18 qt. container with my supply of fur and feathers. Works great, lasts and lasts, and my storage closet barely smells like grandma. 
Best,
Will
Hi White43,
If you want to take a chance on protecting your materials, use No Pest Strips, Cedar chips, Flea Collars, Oregano, Microwave your items, Freeze your items, etc.
Even Napthalene type moth balls only protect items from a small spectrum of insects.
If you seriously want to protect your investment, use Paradichlorobenzene moth balls. These kill a huge spectrum of bugs and bug larvea. I put one ball into any new cape or other natural materials bag after I receive/purchase it, and then stick that into a larger ziplock bag to quarantine it. Throw a few balls into larger containers every few months since they evaporate after a while.
In my part of the country, they are made by Enoz and come in a blue box labeled PARA MOTH BALLS. Most grocery stores have them side by side to the napthalene ones. I mean no disrespect to any of the above posters, but some things really work, some work on a small spectrum of insects, and some don’t work at all. I have a lot of natural materials that I’m not taking any chances of having bugs destroy them while they sit in a container.
Happy Holidays,
Mark
I dust all my organic materials with 7 Dust before I store them. 7 is a garden insectide. It is also used in making flea collars, dusting for poultry, poultry houses , and dusting for pets, and their beds. It is an insecticide, so caution should be taken when using it. It’s not everyones cup of tea, but with proper handling, it’s done the job for me.
Interesting thread and methods. I happened upon an interesting one recently when purchasing some materials from old stock. Cloves, yep small bits of cloves, were put inside the baggies and some of this stuff was really old stock but is just like new. I originally thought that smell might be a problem but I’ve caught fish with flies tied from it.
Interesting thread and methods. I happened upon an interesting one recently when purchasing some materials from old stock. Cloves, yep small bits of cloves, were put inside the baggies and some of this stuff was really old stock but is just like new. I originally thought that smell might be a problem but I’ve caught fish with flies tied from it.
Gloves and cedar have worked for me for years. I will not use Hot Shot after writing to the manufacturer. I was going to hang one or two in my garage which tends to gets spiders and hornets during the warmer months. They asked what I stored in the garage and I told them my car and BBQ, not much more room than that to fit anything else. They warned me not to place anything that comes in contact with food in the same room as Hot Shot. They could not guarantee that even after heating up the BBQ that the chemicals will burn off. Hot Shot clings and remains for years.
This is an individual choice and you should use your judgement when using chemicals. Many here have used chemicals successfully. Just be very very careful when doing so.
I should wait a week before even thinking of acting on anything. After reading the first post I ran out and bought some moth balls from the hardware store just to the left of my little newspaper. Then after the news about pest strips I went to the veternarian to the other side of my paper. Now it looks like I’ll discard all that poison and use cloves. Three doors down is our town’s last remaining grocery! Thanks everyone. Cloves? Who would have thought? JGW
I use permethrin based garden dust. It works great on fresh materials as well as purchased feathers and furs. Very nontoxic to people. In fact one can eat washed tomatoes immediately after they have been dusted. Can’t do that with most garden dust products.
Most of what I do to protect my feathers & fur is here. http://flyanglersonline.com/flytying/at … rials.html
I would add that Carpet Beetles can actually chew through plastic bags. If you see a tiny round hole in one, that means that a Carpet Beetle has either come out or gone into the bag. If you take a sealed bag with a little air in it and squeze it and the air does come out, chances are that a beetle has chewed through. Look carefully for one of them.
Happy Trails!
Ronn
I like borax. It is easy to get, non toxic and it is what taxidermists use to preserve feathers and skins. Just put a little in the plastic bags.
Opened my pack of partridge for a swap fly and found about three feather that hadn’t been turned to powder. Not a good feeling. I wish I’d listened last winter when a similar post was going around. My stuff? Bugs? You gotta be kidding. I’m in deep trouble here. JGW
Ron, you had a great post. Non toxic things are the way to go.
I would never EVER buy ANY over the counter flea collar item. There has been so many horrible things associated with them from death to days in the hospital. The only thing I trust are items from a vet. Expensive? Yes, slightly more, but a LOT cheaper than a visit to the doctor because of ingesting or inhaling some cheap item picked up from a store.
Would I take a chance with a child that used a fly with these items? Would I go cheap and risk injury or death with my cat or dog if they got into my tying room?
I may be over reacting, but I make a wide berth around OTC collars.
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/what_ … _products/
Yes, I’ve used cloves as a repellent in my closets. It was a mixture I found in an herb book: eucalyptus, cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, and a few other herbs. I picked herbs from my garden because, as any grower knows, the items at the store are old, lost their essential oils, and basically useless. Cloves, cinnamon sticks (not ground), etc., can be bought as a health food store or market. They have a fairly decent turn around time.
My grandma told me that bois d’arc balls/fruit were the ticket for keeping bugs out of a closet. I’ve got tons of them available here and may give them a try.
[quote=““Ron Mason””]
I like borax. It is easy to get, non toxic and it is what taxidermists use to preserve feathers and skins. Just put a little in the plastic bags.
[/quote]
Ron, while doing some research on Borax, I found this website that states that there are risks associated with Borax so caution is necessary. http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa091002a.htm
Since most tyers are notorious for placing materials in their mouths, I wouldn’t recommend sevin dust or any other insecticides.
Do you know the ORAL LD 50 on that insecticide/flea collar/No Pest Strip/ naptha chrystal?
I have a chest freezer into which I periodically dump EVERYTHING! Leave it in for 4-5 days, then leave it out for 1-3 days and them back acgain for a another week in the cold.
I do keep bulk items stored in sealed chests with naptha balls or chrystals. The problem there is it does take a while for them to “air out” enough to be “comfortable” to handle.
I also nuke any questionable item, as well as many “new” purchases/trades. You don’t need to “fry” your feathers, a 1-2 minutes is plenty.
I also immediately dispose of anything that shows real signs of investation. 'Cuz no neck is worth a full blown investation!
bowfin47 I am not picking on you here but why do you think the freezer and microwave will kill carpet beetles or moths? They will NOT KILL THE BUGS! The only way microwaving will kill the tiny bugs is if there is enough moisture in the skin that the heat creates enough steam to cook the bugs otherwise they will just dance around the waves. They are too small for the waves to hit them.
Happy Trails!
Ronn