<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">We also keep our dermestids in a room adjacent to the biology lab. The tank has a ventilated cover with fine mesh screening over the vents. The room has a dedicated HVAC unit and all vents and returns are covered in screening. We have a chest freezer in the room specifically for treating specimens as they come out of the tank. We have plenty of traps to monitor and have had very few escapees over the years. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">One plus to having the colony on site is that we have a window to the galleries so visitors can see into the tank!</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Rebecca</div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:medium"><hr></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:medium"></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:medium"><table border="0px"><tbody><tr><td style="width:167px"><img width="200" height="85" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4z0v_0y7pD9DeeQnQbgkPGwHD6YNDNDCOYjrYPbsc8z5gO-E9kNqeRS2Av3Gl1J_VqADz6M4VCvw8vD"></td><td><div><b style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:12pt">Rebecca Newberry</b><br></div><div><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13.3333px"><i>Pronouns: she/her/hers</i></span></font></div><div><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13.3333px"><i>Director of Collections Stewardship</i></span></font></div><div><span style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:10pt;line-height:normal">e: <a href="mailto:rnewberry@smm.org" target="_blank">rnewberry@smm.org</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:10pt;line-height:normal">o: (651) 265-9841</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, May 2, 2024 at 8:07 AM Thomas Labedz <<a href="mailto:telabedz@gmail.com">telabedz@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">Rachel<div>For decades I kept an active dermestid colony for cleaning of vertebrate skeletons in the general preparations room across the hall from the main research collections at the University of Nebraska State Museum. In nearly 40 years of operation the very few dermestid infestations found in the collections were traceable not to the colony, but to staff and visitors bringing already infected specimens (or more likely corrugated cardboard boxes with infected specimens) into the building. However, this record required constant vigilance and strict protocols rigorously enforced by myself. Upon my retirement earlier this year, not having confidence the colony would be monitored as rigorously, I terminated it. Having a colony that is close to collections necessitates strong protocols, but can be done. Everyone has to be on board with it. If staff or staff time cannot adequately monitor a colony I'd recommend moving the colony off site. Let me briefly explain how my operation worked.</div><div>The colony was in a double-walled, tightly sealed, custom-built, plexiglass "terrarium" that had ventilation ports in the lid with a small-mesh screen sandwiched between layers of plex. The box being about the size of a 10-gallon aquarium. It required periodic (approx. annual) cleaning to remove build-up of dermestid frasse. This cleaning was done outside the building. Only clean, dry carcasses were put in the colony. The bug box could hold an entire deer head, or dozens of small, mouse-sized carcasses in individual screen trays. When this colony was "hot" I could easily prepare 40-50 small mammal skulls, or 1-2 dozen small mammal skeletons, or a duck-sized skeleton every 24 hours. When the colony was "hot", little else got done except skeletal preparation. Baiting out and freezing excess dermestids let me control the pace of preparation. Prepared skeletal material got a short rinse in mild ammonium hydroxide to kill remaining dermestids, another rinse in water, and set to dry. After drying, labeling, numbering, skeletons were placed in containers and everything frozen for two weeks prior to moving to the collections. Everything was inspected by myself. Anything suspect was re-run through the freezers. Nothing was allowed out of the prep room without being frozen. Any newly arrived unprepared material was frozen, along with its containers.</div><div>Over the years I did not have trouble with dermestids trying to fly from the colony except under certain circumstances. Mold or fungal problems in the colony resulting from too much wet material being added. If the frasse layer in the colony becomes wet and begins to compost, this developing heat drives the beetles out. Mite infestations on the beetles appear to cause them to try to escape. Larva naturally will crawl and explore looking for food. Everytime the lid was opened the perimeter of the lid and box was examined for wanderers, but smooth plexiglass is difficult for them to climb.</div><div>Side note. an odd source of dermestids found in the collections area were traced back to the exterior of our building having an annual kestrel nest. Prey items attracted dermestids which then found their way into the building.</div><div>Good luck,</div><div>Thomas</div><div><br></div><div>Thomas E. Labedz, retired Collections Manager</div><div>Division of Zoology</div><div>University of Nebraska State Museum</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, May 1, 2024 at 9:41 AM Vinsel, Rachel M <<a href="mailto:rvinsel2@illinois.edu" target="_blank">rvinsel2@illinois.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div>
<div lang="EN-US">
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi All,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Does your institution use a dermestid colony for cleaning specimens? If so, I’d be interested to hear where they are housed in proximity to your vulnerable collections and what measures you take to prevent escapees from entering the collections.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rachel Vinsel<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Illinois Natural History Survey<u></u><u></u></p>
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