Will freezing kill critters/bugs and eggs in hackle necks?

[lestrout]

I couldn't find if anyone has posted this. Anyhow, I prefer not to use insecticides, paradichlor and other chemicals to fend off the little round bugs than chew on hackle necks.

 

[franklin]

lestrout wrote:
I couldn't find if anyone has posted this. Anyhow, I prefer not to use insecticides, paradichlor and other chemicals to fend off the little round bugs than chew on hackle necks.

Not necessarily. The temps reachable with consumer freezers doesn't kill all bugs.

I use moth balls. For long term storage you could use oxygen absorbers but that obviously won't work for packages you need to constantly open.

 

[melvinp]

I tried freezing some sample packs that I had gotten for free because they where buggy it did work but I also left them in a good freezer for a month just to make sure and then separated all the diiferent feathers so I could make really sure.Moth balls are what my local fly guy uses but I hate the smell.Long term storage I would go with moth balls and just deal with the stink.

 

[duckfoot]

I spray mine with a little kitchen bleach (1 Tbl / 2 cup water) and they have kept the mold and bugs off the bucktails.

 

[tctrout]

My wife agrees with you regarding the smell, and she found some lavender-scented ones. I have been using them for a couple years, and all is well. I think she found them at Target, but here's a link to give you an idea:

Lavender Moth Balls

TC

melvinp wrote:
I tried freezing some sample packs that I had gotten for free because they where buggy it did work but I also left them in a good freezer for a month just to make sure and then separated all the diiferent feathers so I could make really sure.Moth balls are what my local fly guy uses but I hate the smell.Long term storage I would go with moth balls and just deal with the stink.

 

[codym21]

Never heard of them Tctrout but seems like a good idea.
Les I think it was the recent fly tyer magazine who had an article about materials and how to protect them and store them. They said freezing them did not completely kill everything and recommended mouth balls. Might be worth checking out.

 

[outsider]

Dermestid beetles (commonly called carpet beetles) are a pain to get rid of. I had some about 6 years ago, don't remember how I got rid of them. A week ago I saw one my fly tying bench, and another in the living room of our home. Now I have to find the source.

 

[troutbert]

If you store necks in the freezer long-term, and just remove them when tying, they'll be fine.

 

[laszlo]

Does anyone know if camphor blocks work?

 

[sandfly]

almost 50 years in the business, moth balls is the only real safe way to protect materials.

 

[WingQuill]

A real hackle farmer learned many years ago that moth balls bite. Use The Enoz Moth Ice. It is more effective than mothballs or cedar, pleasant smell, and is available at Walmart. It's what the pro's use.

 

[tctrout]

I'll have to check this stuff out, thanks.

What do you mean that moth balls bite?

TC

WingQuill wrote:
A real hackle farmer learned many years ago that moth balls bite. Use The Enoz Moth Ice. It is more effective than mothballs or cedar, pleasant smell, and is available at Walmart. It's what the pro's use.

 

[nfrechet]

http://www.naturalfeathers.com/natural-bug-repellents-for-protecting-arts-and-crafts-feathers/

clove spice

 

[afishinado]

WingQuill wrote:
A real hackle farmer learned many years ago that moth balls bite. Use The Enoz Moth Ice. It is more effective than mothballs or cedar, pleasant smell, and is available at Walmart. It's what the pro's use.

Interesting. I bookmarked this page for future reference.

 

[nfrechet]

exerp from the book "become a thinking fly tyer" by jim cramer

 

[lestrout]

yo nfre -

Thanks for that microwave reference. I killed a fly once by MW, but maybe it was the hot glass that did it. I did MW an old hackle neck once, but only succeeded in cooking the skin and singeing the paper bag, which may have had chicken fat soaking it.