I need help!
I preserve wings and feet for crafts, and collect feathers and furs, and I've run out of options to keep these bugs away!
I don't know what kind of bugs are eating my feathers, but they're definitely not roaches. I don't know whether they are mites, beetles, or moths. I never see what's on the feathers, but here are the symptoms:
-Piles of black powdery debris under chewed-up feathers
-Feathers that are in open air are fine, only areas that touch a surface get eaten
-I know I do have a plague of little moths in my house, but there are other places here that they could be coming from. Grain boxes, hides, etc.
-Seems to spread from one area to the next, leaving uncontaminated places alone.
What are they and how do I get rid of them? And how do I keep this from happening? I've tried cedar oil and this taxidermy soap stuff that promises that it keeps bugs off feathers and fur. Neither have worked for very long.
Return to Bird Taxidermy Category Menu
Probably.
Age old problem as in - "Aristophanes' immortal report 'Moths were eating the feather plumes of helmets' in 400 BC."
Moth balls will fix it, though the feathers will probably hold the smell.
Shannon,
Try taking the wings, place them in a plastic bag of borax and shake. Let the borax work well into the feathers and then dust off.I'm not sure it will work on moths but most bugs don't like borax. Good luck.
Mike
Ok...thanks, I'll try the borax.
Anyone else have ideas? I need everything I can get. :(