Hello Christopher,
I agree with Tim McShane's response to your questions. However,
freezing is not the only way to rid yourself of an infestation. We use
a CO2 chamber instead of freezing in most instances. Depending upon
the type of object in question, freezing may cause as much damage as
the infestation. If you don't have access to anoxic treatment, then
freezing would be your best bet. However, there are companies that now
sell anoxic treatment kits if your museum cannot afford a nitrogen or
CO2 chamber. Also, many museums that do have anoxic chambers are
willing to "treat" items from other museums for a small fee.
Jennifer Holt
IPM/Isolation/Dermestid Facility Technician
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
University of Oklahoma
2401 Chautauqua Avenue
Norman, Oklahoma 73072-7029
phone 405.325.2828
fax 405.325.7699
www.snomnh.ou.edu
On Mar 11, 2005, at 10:20 AM, Timothy McShane wrote:
> Hi, Christopher;
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Tim McShane, Assistant--Cultural History
> Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery
> 1302 Bomford Crescent S.W.
> Medicine Hat, AB T1A 5E6
> (403) 502-8587
> [log in to unmask]
>
>>>> 1) What kind of collections do dermestids infest? I can
> automatically assume they get into biological exhibits (stuffed aminals
> (as
> my daughter says), but what else?
>
> Dermestids will feed on just about anything with a biological
> origin--wool, fur, feathers, hair, hides, horn, silk, velvet, felt,
> bone, seeds, grains, spices, leather, dead insects, bird nests, cotton,
> linen, rayon, jute, etc., etc. When we find them in our collection
> (which isn't often or widespread, thank goodness), they seem
> particularly fond of our horsehair artefacts.
>
>>>> 2) Are there preventative measures one could take to avoid
> infestations?
>
> A good Integrated Pest Management system incorporating regular
> housekeeping (sweeping up dust, dead insects, food crumbs, cut flower
> or
> potted plant debris--all of which should be kept far away from your
> collections areas), and monitoring insect activity--we use a number of
> sticky traps around our facility for monitoring
>
>>>> 3) How do you get rid of the voracious little creatures if you
> do
> find them amongst your stuff?
>
> Freezing. Wrap the affected artefact in polyethylene sheeting, remove
> as much air as possible (we use a vacuum to suck air out of the
> package)
> and seal all edges (air will insulate the inside space and might give
> the larvae time to go into hibernation). Place in a freezer that will
> go below -28 degrees C--most household chest freezers will do this.
> Let
> the piece stay below -28 degrees C for at least 48 hours, then remove
> the piece but do not unwrap it. Let it come to room temp. for 48
> hours,
> then re-freeze it. This will catch any of the little guys who did get
> a
> chance to prepare for the first wave of cold; they can't come out of
> hibernation and then re-enter it in so short a time span.
>
> For identification of insects and info on their life cycles, the Ohio
> State University has a great website at
> http://ohioline.osu.edu/htdigsearch/search.php
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
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