Insects In Clarinet

[toontownfanatic]

My daughter has a school clarinet and it is infested with extremely tiny white insects which are inside the instrument and throughout her case. She had this problem a couple of months ago and we took apart her clarinet and thoroughly cleaned it. We also sprayed inside the case with pestiside. These are very tiny bugs. Where do they come from and how do we keep from getting reinfested? She got the instrument last september and there weren't any bugs at that time. Thanks

[otsaku]

couple of things:

 

I'd get those bugs identified by an expert if they are for example a type of termite / woodworm you could have a real problem if they get in the woodwork of your house.

 

Anything that is going to be in contact with your daughters mouth I wouldn't spray with pesticide.

[Ivan Viehoff]

Assuming you are in Britain, one likely possibility is booklice (alias psocids). Although often described as pale yellow or brown, a couple of people I know who have had them have described them as white.

You will find a picture of one here (under psocoptera)

assorted insects

but you may need a good magnifying glass to see yours to see if they look similar, as they are 1-2mm.

Booklice commonly infest damp cupboards, corners and cellars where they eat paper, cardboard, flour, cornflakes, tin labels, clarinet cases, etc. The best solution for booklice is to remove the source of dampness, though you will want to apply an insecticide to get rid of most of them in the first place. Make sure that the case is thoroughly dry and kept in a warm dry place, so not in a cold corner or cold cupboard where condensation or rising damp might be a problem. If, for example, you have booklice in a damp cupboard and for whatever reason it is not possible to dry it out they are reported to be practically impossible to get rid of, since they will eat the cupboard as well as the contents.

Another possibility is what you are seeing is some kind of small moth or micro-moth whose larvae are chewing the case or its lining, and the moths have suddenly emerged now spring is here. Such moths are usually about 10mm across, which isn't what I would call very small, but someone else might. Mothballs are good for deterring such creatures from arriving, but only when they haven't already moved in. You might need something like woodworm treatment to get rid of them if they are in the wood, rather than just eating the lining.

[spindizzy]

Anything that is going to be in contact with your daughters mouth I wouldn't spray with pesticide.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

For moths, and their larvae (which do the damage) try the freezer, cycle it through - a few days freeze - a few days thaw, back to feeze. Also leave in sunlight - which encourages moths to go elsewhere.

 

Chris J

[Samantha]

Anything that is going to be in contact with your daughters mouth I wouldn't spray with pesticide.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

[snip] - a few days freeze - a few days thaw, back to freeze. Also leave in sunlight - [snip]

Chris J

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not sure this'd be good for either a wood or even a plastic clarinet.

Edited April 12, 2005 by Samantha

[bellowbelle]

Neem will kill many insects but is safe for people (used as directed on the container of whatever product). There are neem soaps and sprays. I use neem spray on lilies in the summer, and I often use a neem bath soap meant for people. There's neem tea, too...I've poured it on plants before. The tea is made by Alvita Tea (meant for people to drink but I don't really care for it).

 

If you live in a very earthy or woodsy spot, the bugs may be unique to a certain corner of the house but not another. They may come in a window from a certain tree.

 

I have a book that I rescued from some kind of white bugs (I don't think they were book lice) by closing it up inside a plastic bag into which I'd sprayed insecticide. I left it that way for at least a month, I think. No more problem with the bugs, but, I also don't store it in the same spot.

 

OOPS...edited....it's ALVITA tea, not Alta Vista! Alvita Tea

Edited April 13, 2005 by bellowbelle

[Alan Day]

The Natural History Museum will tell you exactly what these little bugs are .Just get a couple and send them off and they will analise them for you.Kill them first however in the freezer.

Al

[Helen]

This thread is making me itchy.