[NHCOLL-L:1762] non-pesticide herbarium cabinet cleaning

[Travis Marsico]

We are trying to establish a policy on treatment of infected herbarium
cabinets without resorting to pesticides. Does anyone know if cleaning out an
infested cabinet with either ammonia, bleach, or alcohol would be effective
insect control in small scale outbreaks (i.e. a few specimen sheets)? If not,
are there any suggestions on the non-pesticide control of small insect
outbreaks in herbarium cabinets? We obviously cannot freeze entire cabinets,
although we do freeze specimens. Our problem is what to do with the cabinet
after freezing the infected specimens.

Travis Marsico
University of Arkansas Herbarium (UARK)
Biomass Research Center 141
Fayetteville, AR 72701
(479) 575-4372
tmarsic at uark.edu