[Nhcoll-l] Antw: Mould on bird eggs

[Anderson, Gretchen]

Hi Vanessa,

As Joachim mentions, your plan is a good start. The best way to control mold is through cleaning and management of the environmental conditions.

As part cleaning them, please replace the boxes as well as the cotton. The boxes are old and look to be acidic. They are contaminated with mold and dirt and will absorb humidity which will aggravate the situation and cause a re-infestation. The mold will be living (most likely) on the dirt on the eggs.  Replace the contaminated cotton with something that is not hygroscopic.  I often recommend needle punch polyester batting. You will want to keep the environment at below 55% if possible.


  1.  Cleaning the eggs:
     *   Brush them off in a fume hood or a HEPA Vacuum cleaner to capture the dirt and mold spoors. Use a soft brush.
     *   If you need to clean the exterior of the eggs further use distilled or deionized water to slightly dampen cotton swab or Latex-free hydrophilic sponges (example: Latex-Free Hydrophilic Sponges<https://www.universityproducts.com/latex-free-hydrophilic-sponges.html>). You can add some alcohol to help eliminate the mold.  (Be very delicate, especially with the small eggs - the shells are extremely fragile.
     *   Wear PPE (nitril gloves, goggles, respirator etc) for your own protection.
     *   Replace boxes and cotton as mentioned above. If possible, replace boxes with archival boxes.
     *   If you need to clean the exterior of the eggs further use distilled or deionized water to slightly dampen cotton swab or Latex-free hydrophilic sponges (example: Latex-Free Hydrophilic Sponges<https://www.universityproducts.com/latex-free-hydrophilic-sponges.html>). You can add some alcohol to help eliminate the mold.  (Be very delicate, especially with the small eggs - the shells are extremely fragile.
Will they be stored in cabinets?

Good luck,
Gretchen Anderson

Gretchen Anderson (she, her)
Conservator
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
AndersonG at CarnegieMNH.Org<mailto:AndersonG at CarnegieMNH.Org>

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From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Joachim Händel
Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2025 8:46 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Vanessa Pitusi <vanessa.pitusi at uit.no>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Antw: Mould on bird eggs

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Hi Vanessa,
I think the suggestions you have made are sufficient for the time being.
Please brush off the eggs under a fume hood.
Any use of chemical agents (chlorine cleaner) will damage the objects.

Pay attention to the microclimate in the cabinets. It is best to leave a gap of a few mm to the wall and floor (cabinets with feet) so that the air can circulate and prevent moisture spots.

It is important to monitor the climate in the collection, including in the cabinets and drawers. A temperature and humidity logger in the room with wireless sensors in some cabinets is ideal for this.

Good luck
Joachim



--
Joachim Haendel

Center of Natural Science Collections
of the Martin Luther University (ZNS)
- Entomological Collection -

Domplatz 4
D-06099 Halle (Saale)
Germany

Phone:  +49 345 - 55 26 447
Email: joachim.haendel at zns.uni-halle.de<mailto:joachim.haendel at zns.uni-halle.de>



>>> Vanessa Pitusi <vanessa.pitusi at uit.no<mailto:vanessa.pitusi at uit.no>> schrieb am 19.02.2025 um 09:37:
Hi,

I have found mould on some of the dry bird eggs that we have in our collection.

Is it enough to brush off the mould, change out the cotton that they rest on, and dry them out, or should they be treated in some way?

They will be moved into a new collection room after removing the mould.

All the best,

Vanessa

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