Good morning! I used to have a rabbit fur trappers hat but it got eaten by bugs. I am.going to be using my freshly tanned squirrel fur to make fur lined buckskin mittens. If I make a box from red cedar to store my winter fur garments in, will the cedar keep the bugs away? Thanks!

Cedar should keep the moths away. Beetles don’t bother pelts that are commercially tanned. Beetles might be a problem on home tanned pelts and I don’t think cedar will work on them.

Thanks! Moths have been the only problem I have had so far. We will see....

I am a little confused about your terminology. In your first post you said you were having a problem with bugs. Now you say your only problem has been with moths.

When I think of “bugs” and fur, I think of dermestid beetles. The little brown and black crawly thing with sort of a hard shell. The ones that can be used to clean skulls. They live (and thrive) on dead, dried flesh. They only chew on dried pelts. I’ve never heard of them bothering tanned pelts or fur garments.

Moths are little flying creatures that can damage fur whether it is raw or tanned. They also eat wool clothing.

It’s not that big of a deal.

I understand the confusion. Moths. I didn't know there were multiple insects that attacked furs. My furs and hides are alum tanned.

Wissmiss, you are somewhat correct but not completely. Dermestids will occasionally get into tanned pelts, even completed taxidermy mounts. By the time you see signs for damage of fur falling out, they have made a mess. I have been told by well respected taxidermists that even properly tanned specimens have enough natural oil left in them to attract dermestids. I have never heard of them damaging a fur garment but I do believe they would under the right circumstances. I have heard of them damaging some high dollar mounts.

Dermestids will also attack other fibers as well. Another name for them is carpet beetles.

Interesting. I’ve never heard of dermetid beetles attacking any commercial tanned fur that was tanned for the garment business. My understanding is the some taxidermists use different preservative methods that aren’t exactly “tanning” and thus there are still dead tissues that attract the beetles.

Either way, bugs, beetles, moths - all can do a lot of damage.

back in the day taxidermists used arsenic to "poison" their mounts to keep them safe from vermin.
I bet most of the mounts at the Museum of Natural history in NYC are all poisoned with arsenic.
They are mostly in dioramas behind glass so no danger to the public.

Nowadays taxidermists use borax to "poison" their mounts.
A bit safer to use than arsenic,lol.

Thanks! Just had to order an awl and some larger needles to make my buckskin mitts lined with squirrel fur. My 2 coons are drying and I am in the process of breaking them. As soon as they are dry I am making an Ushanka. The mitts are designed to go over my glomitts. There will be a spot for my trigger finger to poke out. I really don't like being cold while waiting up in a tree for deer. I have issues sitting still when I get cold.