How do you clean and preserve wild feathers

[Scythe]

Just remember that microwaving will probably kill the adults as will the freezing but most of these gnarly critters will lay eggs which hatch up to 2-4 weeks later.

For my money, wash ... nuke ... freeze ... mothballs ... inside double ziplock bags ... voila you're done.

[Pistolpeet]

Damn, It seems I need George Bush's Weapons of Mass Destruction to sort out the feathers.

[Andre]

All you have to do, is put the loose feathers into a zip lock bag, with one of those silica sachets, to absorb any moisture. I have stored feathers like this for years, and they are fine. Even if after a long time they are not fine, then get some more, whats the issue, it's not like feathers are any great hierloom that you want to preserve for posterity. If you worried about how to store them, then tie some flies.

[shector]

Thanks for all the advise I will Microwave then freeze and then put some mothballs (somebody also suggested Lifeboy soap) or pet collars in with the feathers

Thanks again

Peet

A microwave won't kill lice, the amplitude of the waves are to big.

[nkula_nkula]

A microwave won't kill lice, the amplitude of the waves are to big.

Pls explain???? Surely they will get hot & die????

[shector]

Pls explain???? Surely they will get hot & die????

Possibly, but only if something of significant size is in the microwave which will be bombarded with waves and consequently get heated up.

Have you ever seen what the microwave doors look like? The mesh is designed keep the waves inside and no allow them to escape. The wholes in their are just big enough for you to see through, but not big enough for the waves to escape. That's the easiest way I can explain it without getting to techical and bore everybody with science cr@p.

[jock0]

Yup the amplitude of the microwaves is actually pretty big, somewhere around 10cm. Another reason why the metal mesh in the door reflects the waves is because of the electrical current flowing through it.

[C J]

Yup the amplitude of the microwaves is actually pretty big, somewhere around 10cm. Another reason why the metal mesh in the door reflects the waves is because of the electrical current flowing through it.

MICROWAVE!!!!!!......wait a bit! My wife will kick me square in the nuts if she found out I'm nucing lice in her microwave!!!!