Warning about Eucalyptus!!!

TN halfback · ‎04-23-2010

If I can save just one person from what I've been going through I'll be happy. Well...several months ago I bought a beautiful Eucalyptus wreath from Michaels to hang in my living room. Hated the smell but tolerated it.

About 3 months ago I began seeing little gray moths flying around, sometimes 1 a day, sometimes more. Lately they became more plentiful. I was totally convinced these were some type of Pantry moths (Indian meal moths). Spent many many hours researching them, threw away any food I thought may be the culprit & lost count on how many times I've taken all food from my cabinets, checked it thoroughly, cleaned shelves & put it back. Threw away several spices, just in case.

So here it is 3 months later...took the wreath down, brought it outside & sure enough it's infested with little worms! Eucalyptus is suppose to repel bugs!

I did e-mail Michaels about this problem. Living in such a humid state (FL) may be a contributor but thought I'd warn others. I wouldn't want anyone else to go through this misery! Thankfully I no longer have to worry about bugs in the food, the very thought of it grosses me out!

eloot · ‎09-25-2015

Hi, I read your warning 2 years too late!

I remember back in the 70's having eucalyptus stems & branches in each room of my apartment and I loved the smell. I did my research and found out Michael's sold them. I was thrilled to purchase 2 bunches today. I immediately placed them in my vases and placed one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen. When I went in the bathroom to take a big smell of the stem, I noticed little worms or catapillers crawling all over the tiles. I was TOTALLY grossed out!!!! I had to gather them along with the large vases and put them all in a trash bag and spray them outside with bug spray. It look like there were 50 to 60 that I saw crawling on the sidewalk when I sprayed the stems. I was too GROSSED out that I threw them in the trash ouside to be picked up by the garbage truck tomorrow! Then I had to clean up the areas where the vases were and the catapillers/worms were all crawling on. Then I had to vacuum the floor for the ones that fell there. It was a disaster! So beware of buying dried eucalyptus stems from Michaels!

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

Thanks for this warning. I only had eucalyptus wreaths from Valerie Parr Hill, and many of them I had for way over a decade, with never such a problem. They have all been gone for quite awhile now, but I think I'll pass on anything with eucalyptus for now.

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

I appreciate those kind of warnings! I don't care for the smell, so I wouldn't get any Eucalyptus. It would gross me out too. I bet it was a mess to clean up. Good that you wrote the store too.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

Thanks for sharing. I've had the same bunch of eucalyptus in a vase for many years and haven't had a problem. But I bought it at a nice garden / home decor store. Michaels has a lot of nice dried, natural plant material and I've bought some in the past but I'll be more wary now.