Moths

[McDave]

I never worried much about moths until I got some expensive wool hunting clothes, and ironically, I never had much of a problem with moths until recently, either.

I wore wool suits for most of the years I was working, and don't remember getting any moth holes in them.

Then a few months ago, I was going over some of my old clothes, including some old wool suits, to see if I wanted to keep them any longer.  One of my old wool suits had maybe a half dozen moth holes in it and the pants.  Obviously, that one got thrown out.  Then I found an old wool ski cap that had a half dozen moth holes in it.  Neither of these things were things that I cared about, but it's like the moths are playing games with me now.  I have a lot of wool things with no sign of moth damage, but it seems like they pick one thing and really destroy it.

So I put a bunch of wool things I care about in bags with moth balls, but my wife hated the smell of the moth balls and it was either going to be them or her, so I got rid of the moth balls.

I've also heard that cedar closets, which my wife wouldn't mind, are really not that effective against moths.

I don't understand much about moths, and the stuff I find on the internet is vague.  Are moths a problem all year, or just in the summer?  In other words, can I keep the wool stuff out during the winter when I'm using it, and just store it somewhere out of the house in moth balls during the spring and summer?

It seems like there ought to be something better than moth balls.  Is there?

[Terry Green]

Keep them in a Tupperware bin.

[Lin Rhea]

I dont know. I hate moth balls but have to put up with the smell since I too have purchased some wool articles. I'd hate to see my Filson wool ate up. I will be watching the replies.

[limbolt]

I store all my wool in the sealable totes,helps with the mothes and odors.

[Junction hunter]

Put all my wool hunting clothes in a bag with a dirt dryer sheet. Then put them into a Tupperware box. That works to keep out the moths. Other wool clothing and blankets I store with moth balls.

[Terry Green]

You can also get different size plastic hanging bags to store stuff in that will hang in your closet.  I store my wool sportcoats and suits in one that will hold 10 hangers and zips up on the side for easy access.

[lpcjon2]

I don't know if this will help but I hunt out of a lot of cedar trees and I never see any bugs on them. So if you put some cedar shavings in the tupperware bin maybe you wont get moths.  

[Terry Green]

BTW....the moths don't eat the wool.  They lay their eggs in the wool and the larva eat it when they hatch.

We treat our wool carpet for this very thing.

[Huntschool]

Off again/on again...  Have had moth damage but recently, no.

I have used cedar shavings in the bottom of a tote for several years.  No damage and I would have been surprised if there was.

I use several large storage suit bags like Terry refers to for my wool suits and heavier jackets and sweaters.  I also puy some cedar shavings in cheese cloth bags in the bottom of them.  The scent is not so overpowering that you can't wear the suits.  In fact I have been asked politely what aftershave I was using.

[Stumpkiller]

Get some Rosemary (the herb) on the stem.  I use it to protect my fly-tying feathers and furs as well as tossing it in my hunting closet & sock drawer.  Wifey loves the smell (and she hates the smell of mothballs).

Has to be the dried leaves of the "real" plant, I am told, not the dried & powdered spice.  I plant some each year in our garden.

Goes good on venison & chicken, too.

[ermont]

I've heard the Rosemary trick works well. Stay away from the mothballs.

[Covey]

I use ceder bedding! I put it in a mesh dryer bag and put it in the bottom of a tote. I guess it works, Havent' had any problems yet! Jason

[stringstretcher]

I use the cedar pet bedding also, not only on wool, but in my feather containers.  Remember the old wise tale,"keep anything you value in the cedar chest".  Been using it for years and have never had moths in my wool or feathers. And it sure smells better than moth balls

[2treks]

We store our wool in a linen bag that still allows the wool to breath. Plastic bins work well also. The larvae can do some bad stuff in a short order,Trust me,I have tossed out some good wool because of them.
Chuck

[McDave]

Question for Chuck and Terry:

Do you leave the wool in the containers all year long, or just during the summer months?

[greyghost]

Clothing bags and plastic storage bins here.


Earl

[Day Dreamer]

if your worried about your hunting wool, Ive read that a sure way to kill any larvae or moths is freezing temps for a few days. Thats what I do when I buy used wool. I throw a garment in the freezer for 4 days and then I put with my good wool. The study was done by the Univ. of Mich. (I think). I just googled it.

[McDave]

That's really helpful, Ernest, if it works.  I worry that I might put something into a sealed container or clothes bag after it already has moths or larvae in it.  If I can kill anything that's in there by freezing it for a few days first, then that solves that problem.

[Bjorn]

I use my broken cedar arrows as a repellant-seems to work OK.

[Mark Baker]

I've read the same thing as Earnest.  I have one coat that suffered some moth larvae damage, and I'm sure it came "with the coat".  All my wool is stored in a cold shed.....real cold this time of year, and in tupperware type containers.