Frank
Happy Gardening
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 1:34 pm Post subject: Is moth wing dust dangerous? |
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So the other night a moth flew in and was doing it's little spiral dance next to my table lamp. Instead of it ending up as a dried up carcass on my floor I decided to help the little chap out so I grabbed it by its wing and set it outside. Of course then I had moth dust on my fingers.
I wondered whether this dust is dangerous in any way e.g. if you got it in your eye? Seems like a silly question but curiosity has gotten the better of me.
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eileen
Moderator & Resident Taxonomist
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think it's any more dangerous than any other kind of fine dust you may get in your eyes Frank although I'm no expert on the subject. 
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toni
Mistress of Garden Junque
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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Actually it is not dust, but scales. The wings of butterflies and moths are covered with them.
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CritterPainter
Knows Their Stuff
Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Location: Washington State
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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Not unless you have a rare allergy. And just a bit of trivia, ya know those literary references to "fairy dust"? That's where it came from. I always warn children to be careful not to knock off too much fairy dust!
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Mary
I have a mind like a steel...sieve
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glendann
Official Garden Angel
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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CritterPainter answered the way I would have Frank.
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Frank
Happy Gardening
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Location: Malmö, Sweden
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| Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the answer guys! And the bonus trivia was great Mary 
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stratsmom
Flower Fanatic
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Location: Southern Oregon (Map)
Posts: 978
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| Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think it's dangerous unless you happen to be the moth that lost your dust!
Deanna
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