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Ed Gallop

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About Ed Gallop

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  • Birthday 01/24/1941

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    Virginia
  1. Ooops... Overlooked this post before posting above. I have seen the smaller solid dark colored carrion beetles though. Maybe this one doesn't like feeding on humans.
  2. I'm a retired cop with many years of experience as a capital felony detective (murder, rape, and robbery). I've investigated a lot of homicides over the years and witnessed many autopsies for clues and to verify evidentiary testimony of the medical examiner (ME) in court. The ME has shown me lots of maggots and carrion larva to determine time of death of partly decomposed bodies. He even ID's a few beetles found on bodies and in body bags at the morgue but I've never seen one with a bright yellow thorax. I've led many very extensive evidence searches surrounding areas of discovered bodies and there were plenty flies and beetles. I feel I would have noticed one like this. I'm a bit behind times because I've been retired over 20 years and my last autopsy was nearly 30 years ago. But I still should have known what this one was. Never too old to learn new things.
  3. Thanks. Now I know what to look for. These are good to have around.
  4. The closest thing I could find was a Grapevine Beetle but the color is different. The shell is shaped flat more than round as is this one. Might be in the same family though.
  5. I have collected and identified aquatic insects for many years so not confronted with one I don't know what it is. However... I find a lot of unusual terrestrials that I have to look up. I found one today that I can't identify on the web. It is an adult, has a shape similar to but different than a stink bug, is nearly an inch long, opens it's cover to fly, and flies poorly. It doesn't stink and taste like chicken... Just kidding on the chicken part. Attached is a picture. If you are an entomologist or know your terrestrial beetles, you may know what it is. Oh... And it is a tough to kill bug. I used Ammonium Carbonate and it survived. Lived like a Gar out of water. ;-)
  6. Ooops... Forgot to include the picture.
  7. I have use cardboard storage drawer cabinets similar to and like the one pictured for many years. Most have 12" x 12" drawers with 4 in each cabinet. I have well over 50 of them for more than 200 drawers, but I was in business and stored a lot of materials. I'm slowly getting rid of them by selling left over merchandise. They cost about $15 to $20 each for the good sturdy ones. The less sturdy ones that dollar stores sell was more than half that price but the knobs come off with heavy items like beads. They are great for feathers and fur though. I label every drawer with it's content. I bought some large 4 to 6 mil sealable 16" x 16" plastic bags from Uline that will hold everything in each storage drawer. I have plenty of smaller bags I used in my fly shop for individual items. I'm putting them in the new larger bags in each drawer. I used to drop in or replace dried up moth ball in each drawer but the odor was quite strong. Now I used a plastic bag with a couple holes punched through and put moth balls in them, one bag in each drawer. The odor is hardly noticeable and I never open to expose it until the ball shrinks and need replaced. I'll use less balls this way. I could even keep my room door open when I was tying and not smell up the den. My expensive vulnerable materials were kept in drawers that filled up the bedroom closet with a solid door (not louvered). .I used loose moth balls in drawers for many years. Don't know why I didn't think of this method before. I have carpet in my tying room (used to be a 5th bedroom) but have a large heavy plastic thing (bought at office supply store) used under the office chair. Helps when you drop things, especially hooks. I recently bought food grade diatomaceous earth (10 lbs for $20 at Amazon) and sprinkled it on the carpet. It goes a long way so will likely use it in other rooms as well, just to be safe. I plan to leave it there for a couple weeks and then beat it in deep using my rotating vacuum with the suction off. In a few weeks I'll vacuum properly. That is what I do. Oh... For long items, such as full size peacock and pheasant feathers, I put in roll bags cut to length and then sealed with a sealer (left over from my business. You don't need an expensive sealer though. I sometimes fold the ends over a couple times and use a plastic spring clamp normally used on potato chip bags (get them at grocery stores). Obviously no reason to seal hooks and beads, that bugs don't eat, but I use bags or clear plastic boxes to keep them organized.
  8. I have never seen a carpet beetle but treated for them as well as moths. A few years ago I had weeklong visitors that had 2 dogs. As a result, our indoor dog had fleas. We had the house, and yard surrounding where the dogs were treated for fleas. My material damage was minimal but I sort of panicked because decades ago I was hit hard and had missed treating with moth balls for a couple years. It may have been moth damage, not carpet beetles. I am treating again, faithfully, as I have the last 30+ years. The help of this thread has educated me to a better method than the stinky moth balls. Thanks to all.
  9. I am going to assume that I am not offending anyone ... but ... I do know some people who believe that the entire population of 17 year "Locust" Cicadas hatch at once, every 17 years. I can't convince them that there's a hatch every year. (Approximately 1/17 the total population) I've heard a lot of rationalizations ... "What if only males come out one year?" blank stare from me, crickets (or cicadas) singing in the background. "But there can't, possibly, be 17 times this many !!!!" This while standing in a swarm of freshly hatched and flying bugs. "Oh my! What if they all decided to hatch out the same year?!?!" Again, blank stare from me ... cue crickets. Mike... I have them hatch in my yard but only every 17 years. However, they will hatch in other areas on different years. The 17 year means that the particular hatch only hatches every 17 years, not all of them everywhere. A good sign it is a 17 year Cicada is the red eyes. If they are not red they are other type, some hatch every 13 and some every 7 years. So, look at their eyes. Here in the Blue Ridge the 17 year Cicadas hatch in a very large numbers. The low grassy part of my field under yrees are so thick you can't take a step or two without stepping on one of their holes. When I was a kid I fell for the statement that they were Katydid holes and if I stuck a stick in them I could pull out a Katydid. That was BS but I tried many times before catching on.
  10. True Moose Nuggets are nothing more than chocolate covered moose turds. Not like pictured, but in a similar bag.
  11. I heard Cicadas are good if dipped in chocolate but I would still know it is there. In Alaska, they dip Moose droppings in chocolate and sell them in bags at many stores see pic). They are called Chocolate Covered Moose Nuggets. Sourdoughs (considered a seasoned experienced Alaskan - usually takes 10 years) get a kick watching Cheechakos (new comers) eat them. We usually tell people what they are before they swallow just to see their reaction while spitting them out. They say it is taste like saw dust. Likely because they eat shrub and tree branches and look like compacted saw dust. :-). Cicadas are not in Alaska, as far as I know. I've only seen Cicada floating alive near the heavy hatches of 17 year locust, in the lower 48 States, but even then there are not enough to normally trigger trout to selective feeding. I would fish them with movement similar to what you would a Caddis hatch, only wiggling, not skimming. They just look like a mouthful to a big lazy trout. Anything similar in size, with proper movement, Cicada present or not. Just like hoppers. Tying look alike Cicadas is just fun to do regardless. Never seen Cicadas or Hoppers on the water in numbers large enough to trigger selective trout but are good for random feeding in my opinion.
  12. Ooops... Didn't see this thread until after I posted.
  13. I noticed Fly Tyer's website featured Cicadas and I recall years ago tying some years ago. I sent them, and a few others, to a company in Africa that sold to Orvis and others to see if they would tie several dozen for my fly shop. Maybe they thought it was not profitable because I never heard from them. Anyway here is my hair pattern. I also tied a synthetic wing material but sold and gave away all of them by accident. Maybe I'll tie some again and post the picture here. I was wondering if others here have tied them. People told me they were delicious but I could never get one in my mouth. Dogs like them. My pheasants and chickens did too. The were super large hatched and left holes all over the yard when they emerged. They were ]he red eyed species called the 17 year locust.
  14. I too have never seen a carpet beetle. I know they stay and feed in the dark and that may be why. I just assumed that is what ate my feathers because I saw a couple small black beetle-like empty shells. Regardless, I need to treat for both. I keep bees and there are mites, hive beetles, and wax moths that can destroy hives. Treatments are all different but nothing seems to kill the beetles without killing bees. You can't use chemicals for them. I've never heard of dryer sheets as a repellant but have used them to eliminate static clinging in plastic boxes. Bugsy... My wife gardens and bring in cut flowers. I never though it was a source. Mikechell... I use fly paper in my barn to catch horse flies and such. That sounds like the No-Pest-Strips you refer to. It only catches and hold flying insects. Some have sweetner to attract flies but no insecticide. Information in threads like this should alarm tiers of the possible insect damage of their materials. Many don't take it serious until they are surprised from an attack, as I was nearly 40 years ago. I treated with moth balls ever since but let it slip last year and I was quickly reminded of the potential damage.
  15. You guys have been very helpful. I've ordered diatomaceous earth from Amazon and have some boric acid (used to tan hides). I'll mix them and put it in drawers and other areas. I discovered the damage before it was out of control and hope there are no more eggs. I was told freezing and microwave will not kill eggs but will kill larva. I'll keep close eyes on materials for a month or more. I have over 3 dozen cardboard cabinets with 3 (12"x12") drawers in each, all full of fur and feathers (most in sealed plastic bags). I've heard plastic bags are safe but I had some old worn out flies in a Ziplock that was eaten through (moths?) and the hackle was eaten. Mike... I have Permethrin that I use on cattle but wouldn't recommend it inside the house. Thanks to everyone. Be nice to eliminate the moth ball smell.
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