There is a large recent body of published research on pest management in
museums. While it's wise to consult a physician on the health effects of
any program, it's not always a great idea to consult a pest control
professional if that person is unaware of the many complex issues
surrounding museum care and management. Doing this without referring to
primary literature may take you in the wrong direction. For museums with
any kind of living collection (on purpose, I mean), the problem increases
in complexity by an order of magnitude. Before prescribing any substance,
or accepting anyone's advice on the use of any substance, one should
thoroughly investigate recent work in the field on non-invasive
alternatives such as freezing or anoxia. And one should think several
times before putting down anything abrasive and/or persistent. Just a
warning. Most of us have had the grim experience of dealing with the
present awful effects of past well-meaning but under-informed pest-control
regimes, and there are ways to avoid complicating that problem in the
future.

Cheers,
Sally Shelton
Director, Collections Care and Conservation


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On Wed, 25 Sep 1996, Kim Humiston wrote:

> Hello Susan,
>
> One possibility is boric acid.  I don't know about its usage with beetles,
> but it works for ants, roaches and other parasitic/fungal infestations.  It
> inflames the cuticles and tubules of the microorganism.  It is also used to
> dust carpets for larvae, mildly abrasive to the skin.
>
> Please bear in mind that this is only a suggestion and that you should
> research its effects before using it on valuable objects.  Maybe an opinion
> from a professional pest control company or a physician would be helpful.
>
> Kim Humiston
> Institute of World Cultural Studies
> Cambridge, MA
>