[Nhcoll-l] Killing dermestids from large cervid skulls

[Mariana Di Giacomo]

Hi Katrina,

Another option would be looking into renting a walk-in freezer and freezing
many things at the same time in there. If others at your institution have
the need, you could all get together and reduce the cost.

Best,
Mariana

Mariana Di Giacomo, PhD
Natural History Conservator, Yale Peabody Museum
Associate Editor, Collection Forum, SPNHC

On Mon, Aug 4, 2025, 09:33 Mullon, Madeleine <
madeleine_mullon at fas.harvard.edu> wrote:

> Hi Katrina,
>
>
>
> If you are planning to degrease these skulls after the beetles are through
> with them, putting them straight into the degreasing solution (at the MCZ,
> we use an ammonia solution, but a surfactant degreaser such as dish soap
> should also work) will also kill any straggler bugs. That said, this is
> obviously not a solution if the skulls are so large that you are not
> planning to put them through a degrease/whitening soak, in which case I’d
> go with what others have suggested.
>
>
>
> Best,
>
>
>
> Madeleine Mullon (she/they)
>
> Curatorial Assistant, Mammalogy
>
> Museum of Comparative Zoology
>
> Harvard University
>
> 617-495-2469
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> *On Behalf Of *Derieg,
> Katrina
> *Sent:* Friday, August 1, 2025 12:08 PM
> *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Killing dermestids from large cervid skulls
>
>
>
> Hi folks,
>
> I'm looking for some advice on how to proceed with some large cervid
> skulls I've got in my bug colony. One is a bull elk with a full rack, the
> other is a mule deer buck, also with a full rack. I don't have a walk-in
> freezer and none of my freezers are large enough for these skulls with
> their racks. The skulls are clean and I need to move them out of the bug
> colony, but I'm not sure the best way to get rid of any stray bugs.
>
>
>
> Options I've considered:
>
>    - Bagging them up with some dry ice (will sublimate fast though, a
>    little pricy)
>
>
>    - Bagging them up with isoflurane-soaked cotton (maybe not a good use
>    of veterinary-grade drugs)
>
>
>
> But I am open to suggestions if anyone has dealt with something similar.
>
>
>
> Many thanks in advance!
>
> -Katrina
>
>
>
> *KATRINA DERIEG **(she/her)*
>
> *Curator | Museum Collections and Outreach Coordinator*
>
> *Phillip L. Wright Zoological Museum (UMZM)*
>
> *Health Science 104  |   32 Campus Drive   |   406-243-4743*
>
> *katrina.derieg at umontana.edu <katrina.derieg at umontana.edu> |
> umzm at mso.umt.edu <umzm at mso.umt.edu>*
>
> *University of Montana*
>
>
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