02 November, 2016

Not Too Buggy About It

Birdseed. I use three types: a wild birdseed mix, sunflower seeds and thistle, each for its own specialized feeder, each kept in its own dedicated bin. I have a large bird population outside the sewing studio window who flock in large numbers to partake of the abundant offerings.  This method  of storage has worked wonderfully for many years, the closet where the seed is kept is just inside the exterior side porch door, conveniently located for filling the feeders just a few yards away.  At least it had worked wonderfully well until last weekend!
I was totally unprepared to open the closet one morning and find the walls, floor and ceiling teeming with teeny-tiny crawling black bugs! Apparently some hatching had happened in one of the seed bins. I was totally creeped out and launched into high gear as an exterminator!  I sprayed. I mopped. I vacuumed. I hauled the infested seed-filled bins just outside the door onto the side porch while I worked. After two days of lathering, rinsing and repeating the clean-up effort not a single teeny-tiny bug remained. However, in the meantime, the now protein-enriched seed became all the more attractive to my feathered friends; no need to place it in the bird feeders either, they helped themselves directly! Right now I am rethinking my birdseed storage plans. This time I am buying new bins, ones with lids. I haven't repurchased any birdseed, I'm not too buggy about it. At least, not yet.

Life is Good!
On this, the second day of November,  I am thankful 
for glorious fall days with cloudless sapphire skies.

9 comments:

KaHolly said...

Oh, horrors! Definitely containers with lids! Your birds are getting a little extra treat while the bins are out of doors! XO

jude's page said...

YOur original method sounds like it should have been a good one, what sort of bugs?? Will lids deter them? All the best with your next idea.

MrsB said...

I keep seed in closed bin, in a deck box. Imagine my surprise when I opened deck box one morning to be greeted by tiny moths! Hundreds!

Like you, a flurry of cleaning. I buy seed at Wildbirds. I asked them about it, they said sometimes seed comes in with larvae that gets in bags before sealing. It's all supposed to be heat treated to kill any bugs.

Janet O. said...

I think I would be getting one of those deck boxes, too. That does not sound like a pleasant experience!

Quiltdivajulie said...

ACK -- we had the same kind of problem and solved it by purchasing a large clear plastic lidded dog food storage container on casters. The wild bird seed mix fills it and the finch food lives in the freezer (small bag - we don't use as much of it).

Sherrill said...

That bird's sitting there thinking "MAN, have I hit the mother lode!!". HA Gross on those bugs! YUCK!

Needled Mom said...

I had the same sort of thing happen in my sewing room with a bag of corn that I was using to make corn filled bean bags. It was awful!!!

cityquilter grace said...

wondering if the bugs were already IN the bird seed, thus a cover wouldn't solve the problem....

Lindah said...

Oh, gross! Sorry about the bugs, but yes, bird seed can be a problem that way. I always kept the bags of seed in the "other" fridge, to help deter the infestation problems. When the bird feeding was taken over by DH, he had his own methods, i.e. buy bigger bags/save $$. Seed became or was already infested with larva that hatched into clouds of horrible little moths that infested my storage pantry and kitchen cupboards. He did not believe the seed was the source, so we went thru that a second year before he moved the seed out to a shed. It took another 3 years to completely eradicate the moths from the house. Bird seed can be bad stuff, if not handled carefully. Having said that, I fed the birds for many years without a problem.