I need some help. I have an impala mount that I had the horns switched out for longer ones that I shot. I got the mount back in late'06. Sometime in early '08, when I was dusting, I noticed a fine, white powder around the base of the horns. I vacuumed it off carefully and couldn't find any bugs, just the powder. I sprayed the area lightly with carpet flea spray; I think it has the same chemical, although probably weaker, that I've read recommended on this forum. I've checked it about every 6 months or so. Today I noticed a small amount of the white powder around the base of one horn and also the base of each horn has a rough hole on the backside. The cape seems to be hanging in there and I can never see any type of small insect. Is this bugs or just the taxidermist's work drying out and disintegrating?

Hard to say without seeing it. Some photos would help. I believe an insect usually would make a perfect little hole, not a rough one.

Ideally the taxidermist would not have left a hole in the horn unrepaired. There is normally a lot of white powder insecticide used in Africa when they treat the skulls/horns. If the taxidermist has left a gap at the base of the horns or has left an unrepaired hole, there may be some of this powder that has settled and is coming out.

To be safe you could inject some insecticide into those holes and or put the mount in a plastic bag and spray some insecticide in the bag (not on the hair of the mount) close up the bag (air tight) and leave it for a few days.

I would keep a close eye on it and or take it to a taxidermist. Again, impossible to diagnose without seeing the patient!

Thanks Grafton. I think I'll take it back to the taxidermist when I pick up some other stuff, in a plastic bag, just to be safe.

Alert your taxidermist your coming too. Just in case you do have bugs, you don't want to infect all his customers' animals.

I've been using Miller's Trophy Room for awhile and I highly recommend them for bug protection. You may want to look into them.