So, I'm watching TV, thinking maybe I should do a little arranging for this weekend's Upstate SC HERF. I like to lay my loose sticks out and check their status every month or so. If nothing else, makes the living room smell good. In one 20 count humi with some gifted cigars, I see a little brown dust in a pile. Not good! I find the stick. It has two holes. All other sticks look fine. Just looked at all these things around New Years, so not worried. I throughly inspect the others and tap the foot to see if any frass residue is evident. All check out. I then do a methodical unwrapping. I don't find smoking insects that pleasant, so I sacrificed the stick for science, CSI-style. I find 3 larva, 2 active and 1 in the molting stage. I crushed one crawling larva just for fun...tobacco juice. I kept the other two for pics to shows all you BOTL/SOTL who haven't had the pleasure.
Mr. Crawly is covered with extra small silk with flakes adhered to it. He actually crawls. Mr. Molt kinds wiggles back and forth like a Mexican Jumping bean. I contacted the gifter to warn them. I'm not worried, I check my stock often and they stay at 65F in my closet. As long as you can stay within the molting cycle, no harm. Here's some pictures. Mr. Molt is smooth and white. Mr. Crawly is tan, opaque, has a red/brown head, and dark intestines on his back end. He also has body silk. Both are about the size of half a sharpened pencil lead.
You can see Mr. Molt on his back with his 2 developing dark eyes, arms folded in prayer. Mr. Crawly has his ass to us.
You can see Mr. Molt lying on his side, eyes and had to the left. Mr. Crawly has a gut load of binder.
Holes
Mr. Carwly's head to the left. Mr. Molt lying face down, soon to be dead back facing Heaven.
Mr. Crawly's head coming at you.
Be cautious and check your sticks on occassion. Word from the wise. :tu
Mr. Crawly is covered with extra small silk with flakes adhered to it. He actually crawls. Mr. Molt kinds wiggles back and forth like a Mexican Jumping bean. I contacted the gifter to warn them. I'm not worried, I check my stock often and they stay at 65F in my closet. As long as you can stay within the molting cycle, no harm. Here's some pictures. Mr. Molt is smooth and white. Mr. Crawly is tan, opaque, has a red/brown head, and dark intestines on his back end. He also has body silk. Both are about the size of half a sharpened pencil lead.
You can see Mr. Molt on his back with his 2 developing dark eyes, arms folded in prayer. Mr. Crawly has his ass to us.
You can see Mr. Molt lying on his side, eyes and had to the left. Mr. Crawly has a gut load of binder.
Holes
Mr. Carwly's head to the left. Mr. Molt lying face down, soon to be dead back facing Heaven.
Mr. Crawly's head coming at you.
Be cautious and check your sticks on occassion. Word from the wise. :tu
