Material decontamination

[Steeldrifter 0]

It's been quite awhile since I got materials from a hunter, but the other day a hunter friend gave me a whole box of deer skin/squirrle tails, deer tails etc etc... I know I use to freeze new "buggy" materials but some bugs arent killed from just freezing and I cant remember what else I use to do. Whats your guys prefered methods for quick and easy decontamination?

 

 

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

moth crystals and freezing plus a few minutes in the microwave never hurts

[Dart 0]

Pouring kerosene on 'em and throwing a match on it is a sure way to kill any critters.

 

... but maybe RRSHS's idea would work better. :hyst:

 

[DoubleHaul 0]

Thoughly washing everthing in Dawn is the first thing I would do.

[JSzymczyk 0]

do a search on "bugs", we've covered it pretty well before. I don't want to cause any hard feelings, but there are a lot of myths associated with infestations. The same insect pests which can destroy fly tying materials also can destroy valuable insect collections - which is another of our main interests - so I've dealt with this stuff for years.

 

No BS, there are only two ways to be sure. Chemical warfare, or live near the Arctic Circle and deep-freeze/thaw for a few cycles.

 

Paradichlorobenzene balls or crystals - NOT Napthalene - will kill eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults of pest insects. So will Dichlorvos "No-Pest Strip" plastic looking stuff. You should seal the materials in an airtight container with a quantity of either of those and give it a couple weeks to work. Both can usually be purchased at hardware stores. I would NOT microwave the materials- it could damage them in many different ways.

 

 

[DHise 0]

I'd say burn the whole bunch. No need to ruin your existing materials.

[Bruce Derington 0]

Yeah, Hot Shot Its a yellow and in a plastic frame Home Depot

[rockworm 0]

I would seal the material in an airtight container with some wadded-up paper towels soaked in ethyl acetate or methyl acetate. You can find these at the pharmacy. Look for Non-acetone nailpolish remover. This stuff kills insects fast! I'm not sure if it kills eggs- so I would repeat the treatment a week or so later.

[JSzymczyk 0]

Ethyl acetate vapor will kill all stages. It is what we use in our killing bottles for insect collecting- to dispatch smaller bugs. I don't know about METHYL acetate, other than it's a different chemical but closely related. One problem with EA is that it's a liquid- and it will discolor many dyes if brought into contact, and can even discolor certain natural pigments. We pour an inch or so of plaster-of-paris in the bottom of a jar, let it completely dry then resaturate it with EA to make a killing jar. The vapor has to be fairly concentrated to work quickly- to the point you don't want to get a whiff of it. Nail polish remover with EA does work, but the concentration is fairly low. If you decide to use it, you can get it by the pint, quart, or gallon from BioQuip. Dichlorvos and paradichlorobenzene (PDB) probably are going to be much more readily available. Keep in mind that Naphthalene will not kill eggs or many pupae- It's a decent REPELLENT once you know the bugs are gone, but it's not good for killing them. Lots of folks are having worries about all these chemicals potentially causing CNS problems or even cancers, but for the most part this is in regards to huge institutional collections in museums and research facilities. Shouldn't be much to worry about in some fly materials. Just don't let the kids mess with the stuff, and follow common sense exposure controls.

 

If you want to be totally sure you kill everything, find an old entomologist and have him nuke your stuff with CYANIDE!!! It used to be the accepted dispatching agent in killing jars! I collected butterflies once with an old-timer who had a stockpile of it from the 1950s and used it in all his jars. Definately kills stuff fast....

[k4collins 0]

I assume the same applies to feathers?? THANKS!

[Steeldrifter 0]

Thanks guys. I think I'll wash them good then use the freeze/thaw cycle and some Paradichlorobenzene crystals in a sealed bag for a bit method.

 

 

[DHise 0]

Thanks guys. I think I'll wash them good then use the freeze/thaw cycle and some Paradichlorobenzene crystals in a sealed bag for a bit method.

 

Are all these chemicals safe to humans?

 

[MIKE*A 0]

Steve,

I throw my stuff in the freezer for a few days, take it out thaw it out.....refreeze for a few more days....take it out and put it in some sort of air tight container (tupperware or ziploc) and toss in moth balls.....I put in new mothballs every couple months.....never had a problem.

 

Mike

[j74snook 0]

Wash in dawn bath let dry and cover in borax for a few days and then wash again.

[Pungatree1 0]

There was a good thread on this topic during the last month which described what to do.