Help needed!

[The osprey 0]

Evening all! Last week I received some more fly tying stuff! Earlier on today I discovered some bugs which are whitey/grey in colour! I flung the stuff which seem to be infested away but put the rest in the freezer for now, I plan on freezing for 2 weeks the microwaving, is this the best way or is there a better way?

[artimus001 0]

what we use for all our bug problems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

[RCFetter 0]

So far I have not had the problem but I'm aware of it and store everything in zip lock bags.

 

Here's an older thread on the subject:

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=69744

[Stevester 0]

I have read that microwaving is a waste of time for getting rid of most bugs that infest our tying materials. Freezing is best, the colder the better. I have some stuff I am considering putting in my wife's -80 lab freezer. Should do the trick.

 

Steve

[The osprey 0]

Okay will see how it goes! Thanks!

[JSzymczyk 0]

Do a search on here for a lot of info regarding the subject.

 

Chemical warfare is the only sure way.

 

Freezing, microwaving, homeopathic herbal witch-doctor bulls**t blah blah blah all leave doubt and uncertainty.

 

Just use paradichlorobenzene and be done with it.

[rockworm 0]

If the material is easily, cheaply replaced I would do so. If I were in your shoes and wanted to keep the stuff I would:

1) Freeze it 1 week. (Should kill most of the vermin.) Thaw it 1 week. (This gives any viable eggs a chance to hatch.) Then freeze it again.

2) Clean it. (Remove as much bug carcasses, bug eggs and bug poop as possible.)

3) Then store each material in a Zip-Loc bag with a few crystals of para-dichlorobenzene. (Add fresh crystals every year or so.)

 

This may be overkill, but better safe than sorry.

[flytire 0]

Never accept tying materials from unknown sources

 

That's the best way that's worked for me

[dazzyd 0]

I was offered a HUGE amount of material from a woman who's late husband had been a fly tyer.

 

It was like Xmas had come early - until I got home and found that there had been an infestation of moths.

Although from what I could see, they were all dead, I chucked probably 80% which filled 3 large black bin sacks just in case.

 

All my materials are in ziplock bags and then stored in heavy-duty plastic boxes and I NEVER add any material of unknown source until it's been in a zip-lock bag placed in a quarantine box for a couple of months.