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D.G.

Sep 9, 2004, 11:38 AM

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Mask with Bugs!

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Went to Patzcuaro and bought a nice wood mask. When I got it home I hung it on the wall. The next day I noticed "sawdust" piles on the carving. Removed the dust, and the next day it was back! Looked closer and found there were small pinhole sized holes in the mask, and that was where the wood dust was coming from.

How do I get rid of the critters inside? The last thing I bought which had this problem was in Greece, where I bought a small carved wood icon. Solved the problem then by microwaving the thing at home. Unfortuanately, this mask is too big to fit in a microwave.

Any suggestions?

NEOhio

Sep 9, 2004, 12:03 PM

Post #2 of 9 (577 views)

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Re: [D.G.] Mask with Bugs!

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We had this happen to a folding wood chair we brought back from Burkina Faso. I am surprised that the microwave worked on the mask. I made the mistake of contacting our County Extension agent, who came out and suggested a high-powered fumigant in a sealed plastic bag. Then the the next week the COAST GUARD showed up at the door and wanted to see the chair and they confiscated it (we are on Lake Erie and they have import duty) because I had brought a foreign insect into the country.

Daughter who had one in Baltimore used the fumigant method, but eventually burned the chair in her firepit because she couldn't get rid of the bugs. Good Luck!!

Don

Sep 9, 2004, 12:15 PM

Post #3 of 9 (572 views)

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Re: [NEOhio] Mask with Bugs!

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Sounds like the same bugs you sometimes get in the wood supports of Equipale furniture. There is a special liquid you can buy to put on the wood and kill the bugs. Before we heard of the liquid, we used to look for the little piles of sawdust and spray that area with "Raid" insect spray. That use to do the job also, but it took several spray attempts to get them all.

(This post was edited by Don on Sep 9, 2004, 12:33 PM)

Georgia

Sep 9, 2004, 12:56 PM

Post #4 of 9 (558 views)

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Re: [D.G.] Mask with Bugs!

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I don't know how you say this in English, but in Italy my husband's family deals in antiques and they call them "taglia." They get rid of them with the plastic bag method - but it stays in the bag with the insecticide for months, not days. They do this with large pieces of furniture as well as small items.

bournemouth

Sep 9, 2004, 2:16 PM

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Re: [Georgia] Mask with Bugs!

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We've always used the plastic bag and insect spray routine with the addition of standing the piece out in the sun for a day - Arizona sun will kill anything - this has been successful for equipal furniture. Time in the freezer will do for small pieces like masks etc.

esperanza

Sep 9, 2004, 3:39 PM

Post #6 of 9 (530 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Mask with Bugs!

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In Mexico this is called polilla. The insecticide-in-the-bag thing should work, but you might need to give your mask more than one treatment.

You can also ask a carpenter. Carpenters are usually experienced with these boring insects and will tell you what to do, or they will do it for you.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Texwheel

Sep 9, 2004, 8:39 PM

Post #7 of 9 (489 views)

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Re: [D.G.] Mask with Bugs!

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This is not something to trifle with. There is a story about a large church in Arlington, Texas using giant imported wood beams which were infected with some kind of borer, and were a real problem to fix. Untreated, these could be a terrible infestation. Thank goodness you saw the sawdust!
Tom Williams
Georgetown, Texas
Texwheel@aol.com

Bubba

Sep 10, 2004, 6:19 AM

Post #8 of 9 (462 views)

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Re: [D.G.] Mask with Bugs!

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I had the same problems with African masks. When the objects are small enough put them in the freezer in a plastic bag for a couple of weeks and it will take care of the bugs

sfmacaws

Sep 10, 2004, 11:51 PM

Post #9 of 9 (377 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Mask with Bugs!

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Yes, I've always put masks and all other wooden artifacts in the freezer for at least a week. It's worked on everything I've tried it on so far.

I brought back some orchids once and used the insecticide and bag treatment on them. Those were different bugs though and the freezer is a lot easier.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán