Friday, June 21, 2013

Getting Buggy

You have all seen the question of how to get rid of bugs in materials on most fly tying forums and there is always various answers to the problem. Here are my simple rules that I have adopted to control or even eliminate bugs in my materials. My results do not infer that your results will be the same.


I try to do my best at avoiding infestation to my other materials and my house.

I don't pick up road kill (illegal to do so in a lot of areas) I let the big birds eat it 

I don't want bugs in my microwave or freezer (dead or alive)

Good hackle is a major expense when it comes to tying materials. I buy Whiting hackle (lesser chance of getting infested)

All hackles are in original sealed packaging and stored separately in a dedicated plastic box

No hackles sit out on tying desk for days on end. They are promptly returned to original packaging after use.

I don't buy from any local chicken hackle farm. (none around anyway) I don't know whats infected.

I buy hackles at fly shops and never online. I can inspect them for multiple things and bugs is one of them.

I don't use moth balls (too stinky), pest strips, cedar balls/strips or even clove spice.

I never accept free animal parts from anybody!

30+ years of doing the above and no bugs in my materials or house. I must be doing something right.