[NHCOLL-L:201] RE: Entomology Display Drawers

[Bob Glotzhober]

Margaret:
I may have an alternative direction for you to use in your drawers.  We
have over the last decade been running an Odonata survey of the state
using a couple of dozen plus volunteers.  These volunteers would collect
dragonflies and label them with proper data, but later transport them to
me for identification etc.  Sometimes they would have them for 6 months
or more.  We did not want to issue them and powerful pesticide, but did
not want dermestids etc. to destroy the collections either.  We have
suggested that they use dog flea collars.  These appear to repel most
pests at least for limited time periods.  We cut them into short
stripes.  For pinned insects, one or two strips 1 inch long can be
pierced with a pin and stuck into the pinning surface with the pinned
insects.  Since most of ours are in envelopes, we suggest a plastic film
canister, with several ventilation holes punched with a paper punch, and
with a strip of flea collar inside the canister placed in the box with
the envelopes of dragonflies.  This has not undergone intense scientific
research, but it seems to work for us.  I think, to be safe, you could
pull the drawers once or twice a year, either fumigate or treat them
with cold or inert gas, and refresh the flea collar.  I have heard of
people trying to wear flea collars on the legs to prevent chiggers
getting bad rashes from them, but have never heard of any fear of fumes.
One would "hope" that if it is safe to have them on your dog in your
house, that inside an enclosed case they should be safe!  Anyone with
more chemistry background than I have know any more about this?

=====================================================
Robert C. Glotzhober
Associate Curator, Natural History - Site Operations 
Ohio Historical Society		Phone:  614/ 297-2633
1982 Velma Avenue			Fax:      614/ 297-2628
Columbus, Ohio  43211-2497		e-mail:
bglotzhober at ohiohistory.org

Visit the Web Site for the Ohio Historical Society.
	http://www.ohiohistory.org/
Visit the Web Site for the Ohio Odonata (Dragonfly) Survey (project
coordinator & newsletter editor).
	http://mcnet.marietta.edu/~odonata/index.html

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Perkins, Margaret [SMTP:mperkins at mov.vic.gov.au]
> Sent:	Thursday, July 15, 1999 12:29 AM
> To:	'NHCOLL-L at LISTS.YALE.EDU'
> Subject:	[NHCOLL-L:199] Entomology Display Drawers
> 
> Dear Listmembers, 
> 
> In the Study Centre at our new museum it is planned to have a number
> of small displays of insects and other arthropods (common insect
> pests, Butterflies of the region, spiders, etc etc) in drawers which
> can be pulled part way out of a cabinet and be consulted by visitors.
> Our problem is that we do not want to have the smell of naphthalene
> around in the study centre but our entomologist is reluctant to let
> the insects go in there unless we use naphthalene or can completely
> seal and pestproof the drawers. We thought of putting the insects in a
> separate glass or perspex topped case which could be sealed and then
> inserted in the drawer as the drawer units themselves cannot be
> sealed. My questions therefore are:
> 
> 1. Is this a reasonable way to go? and if so 
> 2. Does anyone know of a manufacturer of glass or perspex topped cases
> which could be sealed 
> 3.What should these cases be made of - wood or metal? and 
> 4. How should we seal it? Would a neoprene or similar gasket between
> the lid and the case be enough or should we also perhaps run a bead of
> silicon round the join?
> 
> Thank you in anticipation 
> 
> Margaret Perkins 
> Museum Victoria 
> Melbourne 
> Australia 
>