[NHCOLL-L:2880] Re: Greenery in Museums

[Gretchen Anderson]

Hi Rachel,

I am the conservator at a natural history museum, in Minnesota  -- so 
magnolia leaves are not the kind of greenery we have to deal with. But, we 
have the same concerns, and greenery is brought in.   The problem is that 
the standard we use (freezing) does not work well on living plants

My recommendations are:
1) Fake plants/leaves etc (if possible)

if that fails

2) Go to a nursery that uses systemic pesticides -- get their cast offs, 
you know the leaves that fall off. Isolate them away from the collections 
to be relatively sure that no critters are coming in. Examine them 
carefully before you bring them into the building. Monitor the greenery 
with blunder traps)

If that fails, and you must bring in living (or recently dead) wild plants 
(and try to avoid this if at all possible)
3) Isolate the plant material and examine it.  Wash it thoroughly (are you 
talking leaves and branches or living plants?) using an insecticidal soap. 
Monitor it before you bring it into the galleries with blunder traps 
(sticky traps -- no phermones) until you feel relatively sure that you do 
not have bugs. Then, when the greenery is placed around the galleries, 
place out fresh blunder traps under and around the decorations. Then you 
will at least know if the procedures worked and what critters were 
introduced,  and whether or not they are incidentals or pests.  That will 
help with the clean-up and might give you ammunition for next year!

Good Luck
Gretchen Anderson
Conservator
Science Museum of Minnesota


At 07:55 AM 11/8/2005, Malloy, Rachel (MHM) wrote:

>Good Morning Everyone,
>
>This is a cross-posting from the Registrar's listserve.  Please respond to 
>the NHCOLL list-serve or to mtilson at csra.net.
>
>Thank you,
>Rachel Delovio-Malloy
>
>Have any of you ever used greenery in your historic houses for decorating. 
>And by greenery I mean things like magnolia leaves that you pick up 
>outside. Does anyone have any idea how this can be treated before the 
>items are brought in, for instances making sure that there are no bugs or 
>other issues.
>
>Thanks,
>Misty Tilson
>Registrar
>Augusta Museum of History
>
>Rachel Kaleilehua Malloy
>Assistant Curator of Object Collections
>Historical Museum of Southern Florida
>101 West Flagler St   Miami, FL 33130
>305.375.1492   www.historical-museum.org
>
>Your Story, Your Community...Your Museum
>
>
>----------
>
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>previous vote

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