Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
(0 votes) 
Regulars
Offline
This has been going on now for about 3 months... don't know where he came from but he has been impossible to find until now.
I had one of my cheap bows start shedding hair and I knew immediately what the issue was. BOW BUGS! Arrgggghhhhh.
I have 6 violins, lots of bows and do NOT need this kind of pest around, so... I set a trap for him (or her)...
I sprayed all my cases with this Sawyers Permethrin stuff, then vacuumed them carefully, set them outside in the direct sunshine for a full day and then took all my bows but two and sprayed them with 180 proof alcohol from one end to the other and set them aside out of harms way...
well I left two old junk bows out on the couch, set all my cases there unzipped and waited... sure enough. Today I find a few "chewed" remains of bow hair and several broken hair strands. I looked carefully and found the little bugger feasting on a hair... and captured him. I took him out to the microscope so you can see the cute little furry thing.
If they weren't so hungry for bow hair and were quite a bit bigger, like a rat or cat, they might make cute little furry pets... this one of course is meeting a different demise.
Enjoy the pictures, oh and they crawl but not very fast so you can easily catch them if you find them.
There's one pic that shows it next to some violin bow hairs for size comparison.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
Offline
Eww! I've heard about bow bugs but didn't understand where they come from so I googled it. Apparently, they're also called carpet beetles and they eat a variety of materials. It makes more sense to me that the bugs are not exclusive to violin bows, as you wouldn't think there would be enough bows in the world for the species to survive.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
Offline
Well - that put me off my breakfast !
Hmmmm... I wonder if they are crunchy when deep-fried....
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
Honorary tenured advisor
Regulars
Offline
BillyG said
Well - that put me off my breakfast !Hmmmm... I wonder if they are crunchy when deep-fried....
Looks like they come crunchy right out of the box and they are obviously high in fiber.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright
About 30 or 35 years ago I decided to drag out the old fiddle and mess with it as I periodically did over a 55 year lull. I was shocked to see bow hair all over the inside of the case, (I had had the bow re-haired approx. two years prior) then I bought a "Glasser" student bow for $25.00 rather than having the bow re-haired again.
Then I found out about leaving the bow enclosed in darkness and started leaving my 6 bows out in the light, (the carpet mites hate light).
I now (for the past two years) leave them laying all in a row directly on the carpeted floor and have had no problems with the pesky little bugs.
Ken.
Offline
is the bow bug dead yet Denn?
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
Regulars
Offline
After several days of non-participation by any new bugs, I thought I had eliminated all traces and was home free... wrong. 
Just a few days ago, I notice a broken hair on my bow that I was using for bait... ahhhh... time to track the little critter down... 
I then proceeded to take all the violins off the couch, remove all the cushions carefully and inspect them with a bright light... On the second cushion, in between a fold of material I spied the shape and color of a unwelcome guest... I grabbed a piece of copy paper from the desk and proceeded to scoup it out, tapping on the cushion until it finally dropped out....sure enough... a bow bug! 
Now I have 2 of them in my sealed container...kinda like a trophy case for the villians of the violin. 
So, after catching that one, I proceeded to inspect every inch of the remaining cushions (3 total) and couldn't find any more, but took the vacuum and did every inch of that couch I could get my hose to reach. Hopefully they are all gone now.
It's been a week and so far, no more broken hairs.
fingers crossed! 
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
Offline
You planning to preserve them in embalming fluid, Denny ?
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
Offline
omg 
Regulars
Offline
BillyG said
You planning to preserve them in embalming fluid, Denny ?
No not really, was kinda thinking of keeping them as a pet. Kinda like a ferrett. ROTFLMAO 
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
Offline
As pets, indeed ! Considered giving 'em a name yet ? How about "Johnny" and "Lucky" ( well, no so lucky now ! )
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
Regulars
Offline
wow- I thought I saw an unusual bug this morning, and took a second look to see if it was one of these creatures- turns out I found an entire nest of ants- that were hatching- but for sure this post was motivation for me, and informative- thanks. I would post a picture, but most are in the throws of death at this point. THANKS !
I swear- someday I will be playing as well as my imagination
Regulars
Offline
That bug really is kinda cute... if it only didn't munch on natural fibers, lol. Since as an avid knitter, I have a stash of yarn that is all wool, silk or alpaca, I'm always on the lookout for things wanting to nibble on stuff like that. Cute as it is, it can go live somewhere else, lol.
☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
World's Okayest Fiddler
☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨* •☆•*¨*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
Offline
They are quite crispy and crunchy when flash-fried... give 'em 10 seconds, no more....with your oil just at smoking temperature....
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
Offline
@damfino
I am an avid knitter also... and I am not fond of the things that munch my wool. A favorite pink shawlette has fallen prey since last year. I have to do a cleaning and figure out how and what got in my closet.
synchronicity.... 
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
Regulars
Offline
Eeek! @coolpinkone I have been lucky so far, but I've only been knitting about 4 years, so my stash is all fairly new. I think my time will come, and I dread it. The bugs better stay away from my sweaters!
☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
World's Okayest Fiddler
☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨* •☆•*¨*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
Regulars
Offline
BillyG said
They are quite crispy and crunchy when flash-fried... give 'em 10 seconds, no more....with your oil just at smoking temperature....
Gross!!! LOL some people eat while cruising around on the forum!!! 
(closest thing to food I could find)
CoolpinKone and Damfino, I wonder if you put some cedar or lavender sachet in with the yarn and finished projects if it would deter the bug, supposedly works with moths.
It's easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself. Johann S.Bach
Offline
damfino said
Eeek! @coolpinkone I have been lucky so far, but I've only been knitting about 4 years, so my stash is all fairly new. I think my time will come, and I dread it. The bugs better stay away from my sweaters!
ziplock bags are your friends...
Regulars
Offline
@AnnyJ @micra I keep all my yarn in ziplock bags, with cedar in the bags. It's been working so far, and hope it continues 
☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
World's Okayest Fiddler
☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨* •☆•*¨*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
Offline
oh yes.. my yarn is in ziplock bags. For sure.
What sometimes comes under attack is my finished garmets.
I have never had an issue with anything hanging. (I have been knitting a LONG time) I have a closet full of shawls, scarves, socks and sweaters.
So I will be tearing apart my closet and inspecting and putting some cedar blocks.
The little bugs that eat the wool... look more like larvae, not so much like Denny's bow bugs.
Again.. I haven't seen one in 9 years... I am unsure if this particular scarf had fallen or been left somewhere.. but you bet I will be inspecting soon.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
1 Guest(s)
Mouse
Fiddlerman
ELCBK
