Carpet Beetles

[Marie Brown]

Only two broken hairs on the bitty bow I use every other year with a new group of beginners, but I'd made a note to get something to put in there before returning the outfit to storage.

Last night one of my highschoolers showed up with at least ten hairs nipped off in exactly the same spot. You guessed it: her summer hiatus just ended - late. She and her mother and her sister and I all enjoyed the squeamish pronounciation of "HAIR WORM". They vowed to stop by Walgreen's on the way home for a mothball to wrap up and put in the case. I'm sure they now have more stinky white nuggets than they want.

Today I dropped by one of my favorite shops and asked if there has been an improvement on the old standby. One expert said not, then deferred to his mother, who delivered a dramatic lecture on how movement and daylight is the best worm cure and preventative. She's right of course, but I have a stack of fiddles in the basement that will continue to set motionless in the dark. Does anybody here have a third good solution?

[Fiddlestick]

You might try DDT, it did a number on the Eagles!

[Michael Richwine]

Get most any insecticide that contains mostly pyrethrins as active

ingredient.  Made from Chrysanthemums, very low toxicity to

people and animals, breaks down on exposure to oxygen and light,

and a deadly neurotoxin to all insects, and continues to work as a

repellent as it breaks down.  Won't hurt fiddle or bow,

either.

Mothballs don't do the trick, as far as I know, and they are toxic

to people.

[GMM22]

Mothballs are a ridiculous solution and I am always amazed to hear that some shops suggest it. Even if it worked, the smell is just plain noxious and renders violins unplayable to me. While pyrethrins are substantially safer than other pesticides, inhaling them is still hazardous, and I would be wary about playing a violin or bow from a case so treated.

The best answer I have seen remains regular fresh air and light. Perhaps one could also store bows in well sealed plastic bow bags within the case for long term storage.

[Michael Richwine]

Pyrethrins are extremely sensitive to light, heat and moisture, and

break down in a few hours.  The solvent carrier is probably

more toxic than the pyrethrins themselves, but the solvents don't

linger either.  I doubt you'd find any significant trace of

either after 24 hours.  Pyrethrins are generally considered

safe for use around food.

Even if storing my bows in plastic bags, I'd probably want to treat

them with pyrethrins first.

Pyretrhroids are another matter, being a synthetic variation of

natural pyrethrins, designed to break down a lot slower.

[GMM22]

I trust that you know about Pyrethrins to have suggested it, but twice you hint at things to consider further. The first is that consumer pesticides that list pyrethrin as the active ingredient may well have other ingredients, some of which may also be toxic. The other is that there are pesticides that sound similar but are different.

Used under well defined guidelines perhaps one could safely use the pesticide in question in regards to violin bows and cases, but knowing how sloppy and inattentive to details humans can be, I still have some reservations about suggesting it for the typical case of bow bugs.

I would freely admit that I am most conservative about such matters. Having had experience in the past with health issues related to chemical exposure, I always lean toward the options of least potential harm.

[troutabout]

The blue can of Raid for flying insects is pure pyrethrins and contains no petroleum derivatives or other solvents. It is long lasting and extremely powerful on insects. A very few abbreviated sprays will cure any violin case - then close the case for maximum effect on the critters. The only downside is the rose smell and you shouldn't breathe it in. After all, it was designed to be used outdoors. That's how strong it is.

[Marie Brown]

More about the chrysanthemum stuff, please! I would gladly throw away unopened the sealed box of mothballs that's now setting on a desk in my basement. The newer product beside it on the store shelf had an active ingredient with the word "benzine" imbedded in it. With fourteen years and counting on my lymphoma remission, I wouldn't knowingly let stuff like that in my house. I spent an entire summer growing back my bone marrow and watching one unusually tall echinacea fight a winning (for that time) battle with mosaic blight. Something in my gut told me that the plant and I were dancing together in Charlotte's web. Keep on helpin' me to know more.

[Michael Richwine]

Cut and past this link to look at Raid House and Garden Bug killer:

 

http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-b...nds&id=19001025

The other active ingredient, piperonyl butoxide is to provide a

more lasting effectiveness, and is about as innocuous as pyrethrin.

 I couldn't find anything on the Raid Flying Insect Killer,

but that is the sort of application that pyrethrin is very good

at.

Congratulations on your successful treatment of lymphoma.  I

lost my wife to it not long ago. Caught it too late, I guess. Hope

you're getting the most out of every day.

[Marie Brown]

Sorry to hear about your wife, Nonado. Lymphoma is on the increase and we don't seem to know why. One thing is sure: I was lucky to have an alert doctor who detected it before I could, and who referred me to an even more amazing colleague who found a way to stop its hideous progress. For the fact that some parts of the human body are overbuilt, we should all be thankful daily.

The link is interesting but the product is a turnoff for me. I'll continue to leave bug spraying to a pro. That Chinese rug I've kept rolled up in the basement for thirteen years seems to be wool and is still in pristine condition. Last night I rolled it out onto the floor of my studio. No more saving it for some funky gig that's likely never to happen. As for the fiddles, I guess it's time for a little shake, rattle, and roll. Maybe I'll get a small piece of cedar for each case and make a note to sand the cedar now and then. Hope it's worth the effort.

[Michael Richwine]

Your choice of course, but just to put things in perspective,

consider one of the alternative treatments for carpet beetles:

 Sunlight.  It's really dangerous: a known virulent

carcinogen, causes burns on mild overexposure, sunstroke, even sun

poisoning, and can be directly fatal in severe overdose.  

Or consider water: Inhalation can cause choking, aspiration

pneumonia, or even drowning, and ingestion can lead to water

poisoning and hyponatremia, which can be life threatening.

I wouldn't presume to tell you how to live your life, but to me,

Pyrethrins present a level of risk on the same order of magnitude

as water and sunlight. Actually less than sunlight. The

propane propellant, being flammable would seem to me to be the most

dangerous constituent.

But then, that's just my way of looking at it. All of life is a

risk, and one does one's best to keep the risks in perspective.

I've survived all sorts of major threats and events, so I expect

I'll probably be brought down by something trivial, but I'm not

going to worry about every possible threat.  Too busy trying

to enjoy what's left of my life, with what I have left to enjoy it

with. (Hope that didn't sound preachy - wasn't meant that way. Just

a different viewpoint.)

[GMM22]

There is a major distinction between water, sunlight, and pyrethrins, even if they each present a "risk of the same order of magnitude" (which in any event is not the case). Humans require the first two of the aforementioned for sustenance and survival, and not the latter. In addition, people are exposed to sunlight and water every day pretty well from birth to death, and thus natural instinct governs possible overexposure.

In the case of overexposure to pyrethrins (or any hazardous chemical for that matter), the effects will likely be neurological, time delayed, and subtle, thus escaping clear recognition of symptoms. One must also take into account that some individuals are far more sensitive to particular chemicals, so reactions can never be predicted for everyone.

The inordinate rise in cancer rates over the last few decades is almost certainly due to the exponential increase in human consumption and exposure to chemicals of every kind. To be blunt, your oversimplification of pyrethrin use is also hazardous. Some websites suggest pyrethrins as a possible carcinogen. Anyone using any chemical would be well advised to do some research, and whenever possible, first choose options that do not require the use of chemicals. In a similar light, I am not suggesting you change your perspective, but I think one has to be more wary when advising others about such matters.

[Steve_W]

I've been using "Moth-Away" satchets in my cases for a few years now (a couple get opened at very infrequent intervals) and have had no incidents of bow bugs. This is a non-toxic herbal moth repellent composed of peppermint, rosemary, thyme and cloves in what looks like a large tea-bag. It has a pleasant scent that is renewed by squeezing the satchet. I realize that the absence of bow bug attacks isn't proof that this stuff really works but at least it's non-toxic, so I'll keep using it until I have evidence it doesn't work! -Steve

[magicfingers]

One thing that works for me is oil of Lavender...I had read somewhere (maybe on Maestronet sometime in years past) that this would work...I take a cotton ball and wrap it in a swath of material and then put a few drops of oil on it and then pin it inside the case...The aroma is great!!! Also, for my cabinet where I store my bow hair for rehairing I found some cedar oil in a spray bottle(the type with a pump) .... A few squirts on the inside surfaces occasionally is all it takes to keep the critters at bay....Regards, Lonnie...

[Marie Brown]

Yesterday I went ISO cedar. Returning the mothballs to Walgreen's, I looked at the cedar block-on-a-hook, and decided that smaller hookless blocks were probably in some nearby store. Home Depot was my next stop, but seemed not to be carrying that type of houseware item. The neighborhood TruValue, to my dismay, has become a sort of mummified store, but the kindly old proprietor let me know that the item I sought was out there somewhere. Then I got passionate and headed out the Rock Road to my alltime favorite hardware store, also a family-owned TruValue. They had small hookless blocks AND sachets.

I got eight cedar blocks, allium bulbs, and a $50 nutsweeper for a friend whose only undemolished tree is a sweet gum. The roller is a roaring success, and a certain college student is soon to get a nice old plywood case for granddad's fiddle. No further broken hairs were found, and my motivation to do some creative basement-cleaning is still on the rise.

PS: Hey Lonnie! Thanks for the advice about the spray stuff. Branneky's TruValue had it, too, for re-activating the already infused cedar/lavendar blocks I've purchased. I made a mental note, but didn't buy any of the spray, being unpredictably allergic to lots of perfumy stuff. The label says "Essential Oil", and if no noxious carriers are present, I'll probably do fine with it, should the need arise. It's in a pump bottle, right?

[Fellow]

The luthier should soak the hairs in bioling water to kill any insects

before one uses the the hairs on a bow. Just common sense. Why not doing it in the

first place.

[Steve_W]

Yuen, it's not a matter of them being on the hair initially; they migrate in from the environment.

[Jimbow]

Old 'antique' Violin and Bow cases have a lot of dark hiding places for these pests.

I pitch all old cases that are questionable. Decent usable old cases are vacuumed out and stored out in my barn loft.

I have not had any problems since using Essential Oil of Lavender in my bow cases for the last 6 or 8 years.

I hope it continues to work since I like the smell too.

[magicfingers]

Marie, got the bottle right here in my hand...It's a product called cedar spray from a company called Cedar Fresh..It comes in a four ounce pump spray bottle...They have a web presence, and now that I think back, I remember ordering it online...Thier web address is: www.cedarfresh.com .... The listed ingredients are: essential oils and denatured alcohol...It looks like burbon whisky!!! :-) Some folks wouldn't like the fact that it has denatured alcohol in it so take that in concideration...Regards, Lonnie..

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PS: Hey Lonnie! Thanks for the advice about the spray stuff. Branneky's TruValue had it, too, for re-activating the already infused cedar/lavendar blocks I've purchased. I made a mental note, but didn't buy any of the spray, being unpredictably allergic to lots of perfumy stuff. The label says "Essential Oil", and if no noxious carriers are present, I'll probably do fine with it, should the need arise. It's in a pump bottle, right?

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[Michael Darnton]

Probably you should close the case without the violin for a while, until the alcohol (varnish solvent) dissipates.

[Marie Brown]

Following up on the adventure that got me going on this, I talked this morning to the mother of my student with the fractured horsehair. As it turns out, Emily was in the habit of leaving her case open at home, and there was nearby a window that was screenless due to ongoing repair. So she was in fact practicing, and I haven't lost my ear for extreme rustiness. They've gotten rid of their mothball, and all is well.

[magicfingers]

quote:

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Originally posted by:

Michael Darnton

Probably you should close the case without the violin for a while, until the alcohol (varnish solvent) dissipates.

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Agreed Michael!!! If one is going to use the cedar oil in a case always wait until everything is gone but the scent....I didn't mean to imply that I use the cedar oil in my case, just the oil of lavender....I made the mistake of useing bug spray in my case one time and it made my ol' fiddle sticky even after I thought it had dried...Fortunately, my fiddle is not much to look at so no harm was done...You remember the old black fiddle I had Michael??? That was the one...Dunno, it might have helped it... :-) Regards, Lonnie...