drying specimens in humid conditions

[KBliss0568]

Hi Liz.

In my area of New Jersey it has been very, very humid lately.  Previously
dried specimens were beginning to relax right in my Cornell drawers.   
I removed the small boxes of desiccant from my drawers and replaced
them with  3" x 6" packs of silica gel.  So far, so good.  I usually keep my
moths on the boards for *at least* two weeks, so I don't think insufficient dry
time was the cause.  Anyway, the bugs are now fine, so I'm now fine, too.

As for getting them to dry in the first place, I'm fortunate to have a
very poorly ventilated attic, and I'm keeping it that way.  It's become
a huge, walk-in drying oven, and it works great.  I put together a
shelving unit and place everything on it as high as possible (the higher
up, the hotter it is).  Then, to keep ants away, I spray ant spray 
around the bottom of the unit.  Perfect!  So far, not a problem at all.

Downstairs, the ants have taken ten years off my life due to the trauma
I've suffered through finding only the remains of once beautiful moths
on my boards.  I spent last summer tracking the b*stards down,
through the yard, and to their nest.  I exacted swift, harsh revenge
on the bandits with ruthless ferocity. (Imagine my neighbors watching
me, after midnight, in my dark yard, wearing a head light and on my
knees, crawling around, cursing out loud at the ground.  No wonder they
seem so shy lately).  Needless to say, no Formicidae have dared
tread upon my domain since.  

My plane leaves in a few hours for a very early beginning to the LepSoc 
conference in Corvallis, OR, so I better get a move on.  Good luck!

Ken Bliss


 
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