Bugs in Taxidermy Mounts

[buckmarkhunter]

I had a problem when we moved across country and stored my mounts in my parents basement. Ended up coming from just one taxidermist. Lost a handful of mounts and definitely affected other. Honestly sucks at the end of the day. I ended up having them professionally exterminated and use mount medic products now. I do see a moth about once a year flying in the house and freak out but most the time it’s just one from outside.

 

[MarkB]

Just so all are aware, Mount Medix has many products available, a look on their website explains all products very well. Horn and hoof product and some for taxidermists in the mounting/tanning stage as well as the ones mentioned in this thread. To be clear on my part, Mount Protector is what I use twice yearly to keep bugs out. This is the product I "duster" on twice yearly. Mount Saver is the product that you KILL an infestation with. I have the saver and really hope never to have to use it. The protector I purchase in gallon and it lasts for a few years. Will be getting another gallon soon as jug is empty and only have the 1 ltr bottle full left.

MB

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Are you talking taxidermy mounts over time, or recently taxidermy done? I had my kudu skull mount done in SA and when I got it back, there were maggots in the horns. I took it to a local taxidermist who recommended I spray the inside with an insecticide (which I did) and let it dry in the sun. I haven't had any problems with it since.......but I still check every now and then.
I'll never have taxidermy done in SA again (no recourse if I'm not satisfied).

 

[Sabre]

I can mirror the same experiences as written above. Several years ago I had a serious problem with these little bastards. Some of my mounts were badly damaged, others weren't touched. I have hair slip (loss) on a couple of mounts but what really got me was how they got into the hollows of my antelope horns and ate them from the inside. I have one impala with tiny pinholes all in the tips. I know they were inside the horns of my buffalo, but I can find no outward damage.

I visited my local taxidermist and he explained how he was constantly struggling with the problem. He said he had never seen such a problem as we had been experiencing at that time (this is all in central Texas, north of Austin). He handed me a 1/2 jug of Mount Saver, instructed me on how to apply it and I have been using it ever since.

They are a Dermestid Beetle (carpet beetle) and eat the hair follicle at the base of the hair; this is what causes the hair to fall out. Because horn is a modified hair structure, these beetles will happily eat that as well (I'm talking horn, not antler here). Check your bird mounts as well. The beetles will eat the feathers.

How can you tell if you have a problem? Look for what appears to be fine sawdust at the bases of your horns. Also look for patches of hair that seem to be disturbed...brush that hair and see if it falls off. Look also for their shed skins like seen here:

View attachment 672475

One of the biggest signs for me was seeing the tiny moths in the house; especially at night when the room was mostly dark except for the TV or computer screen. I would see them fly near the light. These moths are tiny, but easily identified by their pale, ivory color with an orangish head.

View attachment 672477

These beetles are persistent but are easily killed with the Mount Medix products. Treat ALL of your mounts. I found they especially liked the backside of several whitetail shoulder mounts, where the cape is folded around the backside, against the wall. Seems they really like that dark area and feasted on that area. What a mess...

Initially, I took all my mounts outside and with the Mount Saver mixed in a small spray bottle, I misted the spray all over each mount, paying attention to the bases of horns and any pinholes I could find in the horns. For large antelope like Kudu or Eland, I removed the horns and sprayed up inside them. Mount Saver does have a slight pesticide smell, but it goes away quickly enough. A small price to pay against the cost of fine taxidermy.

Mount Medix is found online here: https://mountmedix.com/shop

I'd suggest everyone check their taxidermy at least once a year.

Ed Z

One thing to note is that from the pictures you had posted, those are actually from two different bugs. The first picture shows the husks of a dermestid (carpet beetle), and the second picture shows an adult clothing moth.

It is possible to have both getting at your mounts at the same time. The treatment is the same for both, so it isn't super important which one you see evidence of. The important thing would be to treat them right away.

I just wanted to make a note of it for anyone who might encounter one or the other in the future and want to identify which bug they have.

 

[Sabre]

I had a problem when we moved across country and stored my mounts in my parents basement. Ended up coming from just one taxidermist. Lost a handful of mounts and definitely affected other. Honestly sucks at the end of the day. I ended up having them professionally exterminated and use mount medic products now. I do see a moth about once a year flying in the house and freak out but most the time it’s just one from outside.

That's what freaks me out a bit about them in general, is that one coming from outside is enough to take up residence in a mount and start spreading.

Then some people have a bunch of mounts in a drafty fairly open 3 season room and never see an issue.

 

[Hunt anything]

I guess I’ve been extremely lucky! I have around 40 big game and 80 or so waterfowl/bird mounts and have had no problems at all other than a few strands of turkey beards falling out although I think that was from my daughters cat swatting them. A couple of the waterfowl mounts date back to the early 1950’s, a pair of canvasbacks my grandfather shot in Virginia.

I do set off bug bombs a couple of times a year but I think I may get some of the commercial stuff just in case.

 

[Sabre]

I guess I’ve been extremely lucky! I have around 40 big game and 80 or so waterfowl/bird mounts and have had no problems at all other than a few strands of turkey beards falling out although I think that was from my daughters cat swatting them. A couple of the waterfowl mounts date back to the early 1950’s, a pair of canvasbacks my grandfather shot in Virginia.

I do set off bug bombs a couple of times a year but I think I may get some of the commercial stuff just in case.

It might just be that you are lucky. But I would guess it's that you set off bug bombs a couple times a year. I have read some people who had active bug problems and said they just set off a bug bomb or two and the problem went away.

I'd guess if you do it regularly like you do, it probably reduces your risk quite a bit.

do you have all your mounts in one room and just bug bomb that?

 

[MarkB]

Bugs in a memory room may not just be from mounts. I got some wood carvings from Zim roadside venders many years ago. Put in my checked bags and brought home. Placed in house with my mounts, this was before I had a designated memory room. Some time later upon inspection I noticed sawdust on shelf under them. There were small dead bugs that had bored out. Must have died due to something, maybe colder in Canada. All returning from Safari with "trinkets" should beware of what may be inside.

When in Navy and travelling to other countries all members had to place all local purchases in bags with your name, they were fumigated for 24 hrs before being taken inside ship. Was a good practice I now follow before "a find" goes into memory room.

MB

 

[Sabre]

Bugs in a memory room may not just be from mounts. I got some wood carvings from Zim roadside venders many years ago. Put in my checked bags and brought home. Placed in house with my mounts, this was before I had a designated memory room. Some time later upon inspection I noticed sawdust on shelf under them. There were small dead bugs that had bored out. Must have died due to something, maybe colder in Canada. All returning from Safari with "trinkets" should beware of what may be inside.

When in Navy and travelling to other countries all members had to place all local purchases in bags with your name, they were fumigated for 24 hrs before being taken inside ship. Was a good practice I now follow before "a find" goes into memory room.

MB

I have heard this before about wood products too. I’ve even heard some horror stories about wood furniture people ordered and a year later they are finding bugs boring holes out of the wood.

 

[Hunt anything]

It might just be that you are lucky. But I would guess it's that you set off bug bombs a couple times a year. I have read some people who had active bug problems and said they just set off a bug bomb or two and the problem went away.

I'd guess if you do it regularly like you do, it probably reduces your risk quite a bit.

do you have all your mounts in one room and just bug bomb that?

Other than a couple of ducks and an otter all of my mounts are in one room.

On a side note my grandfather also collected butterflies and moths. He kept them in glass cases with moth balls. His Indian artifact, butterfly, bird egg and waterfowl collection were kept in an old smoke house behind their house in Waynesboro, Virginia. With all of those mothballs in there he didn’t have problems with anything. It absolutely reeked to high heaven.

 

[Sabre]

Other than a couple of ducks and an otter all of my mounts are in one room.

On a side note my grandfather also collected butterflies and moths. He kept them in glass cases with moth balls. His Indian artifact, butterfly, bird egg and waterfowl collection were kept in an old smoke house behind their house in Waynesboro, Virginia. With all of those mothballs in there he didn’t have problems with anything. It absolutely reeked to high heaven.

I feel like any bug issue a person would have, would be much easier to prevent and control if everything were in one room. That is definitely the ideal way to keep your mounts if you have the space for a large room like that.

I was reading an interesting thread online written by people that keep and collect bug specimens. They also have issues with the exact same bugs as taxidermy. And they were writing about how they try to control them etc. One thing that seemed to be mentioned by a few was that their specimens that got bug infestations once, were more likely to get them again.

I found that interesting, and would be good for anyone that has had a problem once to keep in mind and keep a close eye on any mounts that already had bugs once.