Saturday, July 28, 2007

Backing Away From the Edge

Okay. Sanity is slowly reasserting itself. I have now spent roughly 18 hours online, searching google-yahoo-ask for information about clothes (wool) moths. The good news is, my moths do not appear to be either of the two common types of wool-eating moths. Both of them are pale yellow or cream colored.


Mine are dark grey, with lighter grey bars on the wings. (Ask me how close I had to get to a quarter-inch-long moth to figure that out. Reading glasses and alcohol were required.) The bad news is, they're probably just some uncommon form of clothes moth that produces ten million wool-eating larvae every day and grows to be the size of a crow and pecks your eyes out while you're sleeping. Sorry. I'm not good with bugs, especially bugs in my house!

I'm itching all over. Seriously. I can't stop scratching, rubbing, and wiggling in place. Is it possible to die from being grossed out beyond your tolerance? The moths continue to appear at regular intervals on the ceiling of my son's room, and all efforts to locate the source have failed, although I am certain it is somewhere in the closet. Most of the contents of his closet are piled in the backyard, where they will stay until I screw up the courage to sort through them and confirm that they are moth-and-larvae-free. I continue to make hourly raids on his room, vacuum cleaner in hand. I am hoping, probably unreasonably, that if I keep vacuuming the new hatchlings as soon as they appear, they won't have time to reproduce and I will eventually get rid of them all. I know this is not a good plan, but until the exterminator can get here, it's all I've got. If you have a better idea, please feel free to share it.

I am a little stressed out about this. When I am stressed, I knit. (Actually, I always knit. When I am stressed, I knit faster.) This is the result:

Grecian Plaits is almost done. I just have a few more inches to do. I still need to redo the grafting on the yoke, which I will take care of as soon as the knitting is done. Which, if the moths continue to appear, will be tonight.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Constant vigilance!!! I think it's the only way.

Grecian plaits looks really good.

Faith said...

Few people other than knitters produce such great work while incredibly stressed. It's looking beautiful! Need some moth balls? Mmmm, delicious smell (ew ew ew).

sophanne said...

Hang in there- I'll have a drink with you as I am SSWY (so squirming with you)

Watch the gauge on the stress knitting. The socks made away from children were same number of rows/stitches and yet 1/2" longer than the ones made near children.

kdtjes;riotundr;'otbuv sdr;oither

(those were my fingers wigging out with you)

MelissaKnits said...

we have a similar situation in my office closet every summer. We do not know why, or where the come from, or how to make them go away. They just appear, as if by magic. It grosses me out in insane ways, and I will not go near the closet.

I wriggle with you.

Anonymous said...

Ew.

Just. Ew.

I'm not a squeamish person, but moths? near the stash?

Ew.

Romi said...

Ewwwww. We had pantry m*ths and my husband attacked them repeatedly. Every day. I think he has finally killed the last one. So I do think your strategy will finally work.

And I know what you mean about the creepy crawlies. For me it's the thought of mosquitos that does it. :P

The sweater looks awesome!

Lydee said...

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!
I hate bug infestations of any sort. (one time in a previous college residence, captured a roach on duct tape to determine what type I had).
I'm feeling your pain and drinking a glass of wine for you. Good thoughts that the bug man will take care of it for you.

Haley said...

sorry to miss your initial post, but even more sorry to hear about your moths. very distressing. at least they're not cockroaches--although that probably doesn't make you feel any better. sending happy moth-free thoughts your way.

Anonymous said...

I understand how moths could drive you crazy. I had the food-eating kind 2 years ago, and it took FOREVER to get rid of them. I found cedar balls that you can place amongst your stash at Wal-mart.

Love the top, especially the color!

...Sarah said...

Well thank god for the knitting then. I hope your fight is over soon.

The A.D.D. Knitter said...

Yikes--good luck with the potential infestation. Grecian Plaits is amazing!

Anonymous said...

I'm itching just reading about your battle with the bugs. Grecian Plaits is just gorgeous!!!!