[NHCOLL-L:2832] Re: Vapona Stips for Entomology Collections

[Gretchen Anderson]

Hi Jane,

It is my understanding that vapona is not approved for use in museums. You 
might want to check the local and federal regulations for dichlorvos 
(Vapona is the trade name). Insects will become resistant to it. 
Additionally there are suspected human health issues.

We no longer use any pestide with our insect (or other collections). We use 
standard IPM methods -- combining environmental controls with good house 
keeping. We monitor all collections areas and all susceptible collections 
regularly. All PDB and  naphthalene from the collection before we moved to 
a new facility in 1999.  All of the biological collections went through 
freezing at that time and we have had no problem with infestation since 
then.  Non-toxic IPM methodology is the standard for pest control today.

The pesticides traditionally used in museums carry with them some serious 
consequences -- both in human  health issues
and contaminated collections. In addition, they are not particularly 
effective in controlling the little beasties. It is better to develop and 
implement an IPM plan that allows better understanding of why the pests are 
there and what we can do to reduce the populations without completely 
relying on poisons.

The museum is just a different type of ecosystem -- one that we 
created.  Maybe you can get your new curator to see it in those terms.

Ok I will get off my soap box -- I have a bunch of online and off line 
references -- contact me off list if you want them -- orwant to chat more 
about the subject!

Good luck!
Gretchen Anderson
Conservator
Science Museum of Minnesota
ganderson at smm.org


At 02:16 PM 9/20/2005, Jane MacKnight wrote:
>Dear List:  We have several thousand insects in our entomology collection 
>that includes specimens from the 1800s and early 1900s. Like most museums 
>we are understaffed and have no collections managers.  We finally have a 
>zoology curator who is a field ecologist who works on butterflies so he is 
>trying to improve collections care in entomology. As a curator, he is also 
>responsible for birds, mammals, herps and shells (not to mention a very 
>small botany collection). I want to encourage him in his efforts to 
>re-house and catalog the entomology collections and he wants to manage the 
>collection according to current standards.
>
>He is very concerned about infestation and he does not have time or 
>volunteers to visibly go through the collection to monitor for damage. He 
>wants to use Vapona strips inside the entomology cabinets (mix of new 
>Deltas, old metal office cabinets and wood cabinets) but wants to be sure 
>that they are okay. I remember reading a decade ago that Vapona strips 
>were banned for museum cabinet use, but cannot locate the reference and 
>his checking the OSHA sites yielded different information.
>
>Can anyone clarify the use of Vapona inside cabinets? If not Vapona, how 
>do entomology collections protect against infestations?
>
>I should add that the collections are stored in a controlled environment 
>(68F at 50%RH), cabinetry and boxes are mix of old and new, and we 
>typically use a freezer to treat any infestations.
>
>Thanks,
>Jane MacKnight
>
>Jane MacKnight
>Registrar
>Cincinnati Museum Center
>T (513) 287-7092
>F (513) 455-7169
>Cell (513) 478-8168
>
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