Bark and moss sterilization

Illusionist88

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 1, 2020
Messages
1
Heya guys, thank you for having me in the group!! Quick question I have been collecting bark and got some great peices with moss on it. But I need to sterilize it but dont want to kill the moss in the process.. help please 😂😂
 

AuroraLights

Arachnosquire
Active Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Messages
102
Hello, I hope you enjoy it here, this is a great forum! :happy:
You could try submerging the bark and moss under rain or distilled water and leaving it to soak for a few hours or even a day or so. That might drown any invertebrates living in it, but I'm not sure if the moss would trap air bubbles or if some invertebrates might be able to survive submersion. Even so, I think that's what I'd do. If you're using it for millipedes you actually don't want to fully sterilize it anyway, you just want to get rid of any big invertebrates like isopods/earwigs/centipedes, so I think that might be enough. See if anyone more experienced has any thoughts though, that's just my take on it. :)
 

Vanisher

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
2,533
Heya guys, thank you for having me in the group!! Quick question I have been collecting bark and got some great peices with moss on it. But I need to sterilize it but dont want to kill the moss in the process.. help please 😂😂
You should not sterilizing it. Just put it in the enclosure
 

BepopCola

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 14, 2018
Messages
418
Hello, I hope you enjoy it here, this is a great forum! :happy:
You could try submerging the bark and moss under rain or distilled water and leaving it to soak for a few hours or even a day or so. That might drown any invertebrates living in it, but I'm not sure if the moss would trap air bubbles or if some invertebrates might be able to survive submersion. Even so, I think that's what I'd do. If you're using it for millipedes you actually don't want to fully sterilize it anyway, you just want to get rid of any big invertebrates like isopods/earwigs/centipedes, so I think that might be enough. See if anyone more experienced has any thoughts though, that's just my take on it. :)
That's a neat idea. I like to "sterilize" to removed unwanted bugs, but my methods always kill any lichen. I want the lichen to survive!
I'll have to give it a try.
 
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