Dear Listers, One of our historic sites is presently wrestling with the issue of a straw mattress in their historic house interior. The straw has been in place for many years and thus far not (to my knowledge) caused any problems, and the staff like to use the "crunchy" feel of the mattress as a teaching moment, giving children and school groups a tactile experience of how one aspect of life was different in the 19th century. They have received a recommendation as part of a conservation assessment to remove all organic materials (including the straw in the mattress ticking) from the house, which would also have been my first response as well. However, a board member also consulted a colleague in a university entomology department at the nearby university, who did some research and concluded that because the straw is "non-nutritive" it would likely not harbor any bugs other than perhaps mites (which would hopefully be a non-issue, because the beds are not used). I said I would check with the list to see if anyone has had any direct experience with pest infestation in straw mattresses, bales, etc. I'm also concerned that (leaving aside insects) straw might also harbor mice or other animals that use the straw as a nesting material. Also, has anyone found a good replacement for straw that would have that same tactile feel and look? As always, budget is a major issue. Elsewhere we use polyester fiberfill, but obviously that would feel nothing like straw. Thanks! Catherine E. Dean Curator of Collections Preservation Virginia 804-314-5049 FAX: 804-648-5880 [log in to unmask] ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).