FLYMPH FORUM

A while ago I mentioned something about curing skins properly and someone mentioned moths. So I'm over at my pal David P's house and he tells me he has moths in his fly feathers. I told him one of the forums suggested all feather be kept in zip lock backs and I suggested he spray with an insecticide with in the drawers just to be safe, plus put the stuff in the freezer for about two weeks. What say you all.

check out the No-Pest strip sold by Hot Shot, available in Walmart.

a pea sized piece in a sealed bag will kill any creepy crawly or winged insects I have run into. After I had a problem with a grouse skin sprouting crawlies, I routinely treat all new purchases, and leave a piece in the sealed bag. no more issue. contains a chlorinated phosphorous insecticide tied up in a bar about as big as a hersheys bar.

I keep all of my stuff in plastic bins and add moth crystals from time to time. I also keep most stuff in the original package except for my full skins. They seem to do just fine.

Enoz(?) moth balls. Kills eggs and bugs that lay them. 1 to 2 balls in each containerdoes the trick.
Jim

Jim Slattery wrote:Enoz(?) moth balls. Kills eggs and bugs that lay them. 1 to 2 balls in each containerdoes the trick.
Jim

There are two problems here. One, mothballs and flakes are poisonous to humans. Second, the odor is bad. I don't want that in the house (nor does my wife). And when I tried to show the fly-tying things to my 7-year-old granddaughter, she was so put-off by the smell, she wanted nothing to with it.

Leisenring recommended some kind of fresh cedar oil, which would be less offensive. Insecticides are scary. This is the 50th anniversary of Rachel Carson's SILENT SPRING, so I've been reading more about the harm these chemicals continue to cause to the environment. A non-poisonous moth repellent like cedar oil would be welcome. And the zip-loc bags are effective too. I'd like to know more about safer, non-offensive solutions to the moth problem.

Lance

I still use Sevin garden dust. 30 years and it has served me well. gmwhipple, I am going to try the No-Pest strip sold by Hot Shot. Thanks for the heads up on that. I have a feeling Sevin will be leaving the stores in the near future.

Camphor is an excellent moth repellent and yet has a pleasant smell to some (like me). It is a natural product, but in sufficient quantities can be seriously toxic, so the FDA has limited camphor to 11% in consumer products. The old moth balls used camphor.

Members of the mint family contain camphor, so they are effective when ground fine and spread around the foundation of a house for long-term mouse and ant prevention. Mint should also work in a bin of fly-tying material.

Regards,
Reed

Thank you all. I do remember the ENOZ now that I've read it. I hope you don't mind that I post the link to David P. I have been putting my feathers in the freezer.I read on this forum a while back that this was a good way to go

I don't know about you, but for me any conversation that starts with:

"Honey, why are these feathers in the freezer?"
"To kill the bugs."

is not going to end well.

Putting you material;s in a freezer will not kill eggs.