Help me please! I have 2 Alaskan fox pelts which were souvenirs from when my family lived in Alaska 15+ years ago. They have been hanging in an extra bedroom without too much incident.
I was recently cleaning the room and noticed that there are small bugs that seem to have made their home in the fur - these bugs fly, and are about 1/4 in. in length. They seem to be multiplying in the fur. When I tried to brush out the fur large chunks of the fur started to come off.
I don't want to throw the pelts away but I'm not sure if there's anything that can be done. Please let me know if there some sort of spray that can be used to kill the insects.
Also, the fur seems to be shedding - I'm found a lot of hair that has fallen from the pelts.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
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Doesn't sound good. Sorry! Sounds like a dermestid beetle (or other type bug) problem. They tend to 'graze' along the roots of the hair, so that's why you're getting wads of hair coming out. I have heard some people say to put them in the freezer to kill the bugs. Others have said to put them in a trash bag and spray bug killer in there, then seal it up as airtight as possible to kill them. I'm sure there are other ideas out there, too.
SFAKGRL;
It's not dermestid beetles. Actually there are 3 different types of clothing moths,that will attack fur. The first one is the webbing clothing moth (tineola bisselliella) then there is the case making moth, (tinea pellionella) then there is the carpet or tapestry moth, (trichophaga tapetzella) the last one is probably the one's causing you the problems. To get rid of them you can freeze the skins for a week or two. then place the skin in a plastic bag with moth balls and keep it in there for about 2 weeks. But what your saying about the fur coming out in clumps. It's kind of hard to say exactly how much damage they already have done.
If you spray them with an insecticide, be careful not to soak the skin to much. then place the skin in a plastic bag for around a week.
I hope this helps you out, and good luck.
Coyote
Also, all the responses above are correct but if you choose freezing, you have to put it in for about 5 days, leave it thawed out for a couple of weeks and then put it back in for 5 more days to kill the eggs that are in there. But if your fur lasted 15 years before the moths got to them, I am truly amazed!
Thanks to everyone for such quick responses! Yes, I can't believe they have lasted that long - and survived at least 6 international moves!
Just to clarify George, after freezing them again to kill the eggs, then I can place them in the back with the moth balls?
What ever you do , dont put the furs in the freezer with moth balls or if the furs were in moth balls before or everything in your freezer will smell like a moth ball and if you have food in the freezer too , you can just throw it away as it will taste like a moth ball . I found out the hard way but I didnt have that much food to get rid of . Rick