Sunday, August 23, 2009

Moss Harvesters



8 comments:

Carrie Mae said...

So jealous of your access to Spanish moss!

But what do you do to kill off red bugs before using it? They are horribly likely to infest the stuff.

The Captain said...

I have honestly never done anything with it before today. I just put it in a trash bag out on the patio, just in case it had critters in it. Can you see the red bugs? We got it for The Frog Queen.

Shes Off Her Rocker said...

I LOVE it! I love this stuff, too...its beautiful!

Chris 'Frog Queen' Davis said...

Yeah!!! Thanks so much! You are the best. Just let me know how much you need me to send you and I will send it your way.

You are the best!! Thanks so much!!

Cheers!

I Like Horror Movies said...

Now i know im going to need to guard the moss this year.. first the mistletoe, now this!! =D

Anonymous said...

i was driving today and i noticed how much of that stuff there is around where i live. people actually pay for it? i had no idea lol. maybe i should harvest some

Carrie Mae said...

I found this suggestion:

WARNING
Don't use Spanish moss for bedding or packing without first treating it to kill tiny pests (especially red bugs or chiggers) that may be lurking within. Microwaving works well, as does heating or boiling in water. (Remove bats, lizards and snakes before microwaving.)

---
We used to gather spanish moss for projects as a kid when we went to south georgia/florida, and I remember that the little red bugs can be a problem. They can be hard to see in the moss clusters, but if you look closely you can often tell they are there.

:) You're a good guy, Captain! Thanks for helping the Frog Queen.

The Captain said...

I think I'm gonna lay it out on the driveway and spray it with bug spray before I pack it up. I would feel terrible if I infected FQ's home or the whole state of Oregon with Red Bugs!

Queenie once I spray and pack it, I'll take it to the post office for an official weight (not my wife holding it on the bathroom scale). Then maybe we can figure out how to have you pay for shipping online and email me the shipping label? That way you don't have to worry about sending me money, shipping will be all paid for in advance. I'll spray it tomorrow when I get home from work.