There are many strong aromatic herbs in addition to sweet bay that will repel insects, but:
-repelling is preventing something from settling in, not killing what has already made it's home; herbs that discourage colonization may not be as effective for chasing them away once they're down inside your pillow. -it's a lot harder to kill mites than insects (they're distantly related) -the smell in those aromatic herbs is an oil; while they might smell nicer to us and be safer for us than insecticide, that doesn't mean they're safe for lace threads. I don't know which (if any) herb fumes can discolor thread or even weaken them. Have you ever kept cinnamon or cloves for a very long time in a glass jar? It gets etched by those lovely smelling aromatic oils! I doubt this is a hot topic among textile conservators and it may never have been investigated. Jeri, do you know anything about herbs and thread? Robin P. Los Angeles, California, USA robinl...@socal.rr.com Parvum leve mentes capiunt (Little things amuse little minds) - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
