[NHCOLL-L:3578] Managing pests in Entomology collections

[Morris, Robert (SAM)]

Dear List 

 

The South Australian Museum has been operating an integrated pest
management and environmental monitoring program for collections for some
years now as part of its preventive approach to collections
conservation. The program includes the regular survey of collections and
their 'building envelopes'. In more recent years the surveys of the
entomology collections have shown a disturbing increase in the number of
pest outbreaks (mainly carpet beetle) which on occasions has
necessitated the freezing of large sections of the collection. Although
freezing is an effective way to address pest problems it is very slow
and it seems that as soon as we have completed the freezing program we
need to start again. 

 

It seems likely that the problems are due to a combination of factors
from milder winters, inadequately filtered air conditioning of unsealed
premises as well as the removal of naphthalene form the cabinets due to
OHS factors. Short of building new chilled stores, we are trying to find
affordable ways to minimise pest ingress and would be interested to hear
from anyone who has been dealing with these problems. 

 

We are now considering a range of options and would be interested to
know if anyone else can advise.

 

1-       Mounting insect light traps in the stores to trap any winged
insects

2-       Automated pyrethrum sprays that emit the spray into the room at
regular intervals

3-       Constructing a pyrethrum cabinet to target and spray insect
trays in concentrated form

4-       Is there a safe alternative to naphthalene that can be left in
the insect drawers? We never did find naphthalene to be very effective
in any case.

5-       Heat treating cabinets and their contents

6-       Pheromone traps are species specific and there is the fear they
may act as an attractant.

7-       Using some form of residual insect spray on cabinet interiors
and drawer linings

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

 

Robert Morris

Head of Collections

South Australian Museum

www.samuseum.sa.gov.au

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