My partner and I run a part-time shop that takes in 75 to 100 pieces each year. Last night as I was taking the feather duster to our showroom pieces, i noticed something had been eating on the feet of our standing ducks. After closer examination, I discovered all of our year old mounts that were in direct contact with driftwood or the walls were infested with very small, hairy grubs. I do not believe our driftwood is infected, but that they came from some other source. (maybe a flying insect laid eggs?) I sprayed the mounts down with insect spray and set off a fogger hoping this would help. Has anyone else out there had this problem?
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Mike , welcome to the real world . Your mounts are infested with either the mediterean flour moth or a beetle . These are the same bugs you find in an grain product , cereal , flour , rice etc . They even eat wool clothes . I had them eat a professionally tanned L/S bear . You need to buy some feremone traps to catch most of them now . In the mean time you can also stick as may mounts as you can in the freezer for a few days to kill off the larva . You may have to do this a few times to kill off the new eggs . Only the larva eat the mounts , not the moths . Then use a lot of bug bombs and get the hell out of that room . Once you have them there very hard to get rid off. You will see most of the moths flying at night so if you can seek into your shop at night and flip on the lights , you might see what you have . I have these traps all over my shop and house and you'd be surprised at how many moths you catch . You might also want to hang a bunch of fly trap strips around as the feremone traps catch the males and these fly traps will get some of the females. Its worth the $ , believe me . Go to this web site and buy the traps now . Rick
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/revengepant.htm
[expletive deleted]xy grubs you say? Sounds like it could be dermestid beetles... there are a few types, one of which is the flour beetle NBM mnentioned. Dermestids are the lil critters used to clean flesh from bone. Widespread they can eat through material, carpeting, wood, books and even lead wiring! One way or another they have GOT to go as your mounts are all in jeopardy... they will eat around the base of every hair causing it to appear like large scale slipping... then move on to other elemetns in the shop. Not a good thing. Check out that places that Rick recommended and if you still don't feel comfortable doign it yourself, don't hesitate to call in a professional exterminator. Think overkill in this scenario, don't settle for 'just enough'... be sure to nuke the lil buggers good and get COMPLETELY rid of them. One gravid (pregnant) female can lay a huge number of eggs and in a couple months you could be back in this situation again. After the initial teatment, be sure to keep on top of your mounts with proper treatments to prevent future infestations.
Good luck =)