Blowflies in the Chathams

New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 476, 6 August 1948, Page 22

Blowflies in the Chathams

Dear Aunt Daisy, I should be glad if you would give me some advice about dealing with flyblown blankets. I noticed that those on my spare room bed had been blown, and so went to change them. You can imagine my dismay on opening the tintrunk, where the others are stored, to find it simply buzzing with blowflies! Fortunately, I had the blankets well sprinkled with Epsom Salts, and so the moths have not touched them; but they were in an awful mess. A neighbour told me that the larvae would dry out; but my beautiful new blankets, white and grey, smelt and looked so awful that after a day or so I decided to wash them. ‘This did not ‘seem to make much difference so finally I popped them into a copper of hot (not boiling) soapy water! Then rinsed them well and put them through the wringer. When they were dry, I was able to ‘shake out the eggs which had come unstuck at last, and the blankets look clean and fluffy in spite of my treatment. I have them wrapped in a sheet

in the hot water cupboard now; but I notice that the blowflies get in there, too. I always peruse your helpful page in The Listener, but notice that no one seems to have had a similar accident, recently. Perhaps there is some way

to prevent it?

E.J.

A.

What a distressing happening. I know blowflies are most persistent, but 1 should haye thought that the blankets would be safe in a tin-trunk! The only preventive I knew of was to rinse them in water to which a little sheep-dip had been added (remember that sheep-dip is poisonous), However, I asked the ~never-failing Daisy Chain, over the air about the matter, and received this excellent reply from "XYZ," Bay of Plenty: "To protect blankets, etc., from blowflies, buy unbleached calico and make it into bags. One yard will be sufficient for one bag: Stitch with machine twice to make the bag, leaving the top open. Pack blankets, furs, or other garments liable to attack from flies or moth into these unbleached. unwashed bags, and stitch if not wanted for a long period, otherwise tie securely with string. I can guarantee this method, but ordinary calicd will not do, and it must not be washed. These bags will last for years, and blankets, etc., are quite safe from all pests.