Pest control

Robert K. MacDowell <macdowell_r [at] mediasoft__net>

>We often encounter living larva of the Dermestidae Family during
>examination and treatment of antique dolls, generally inside the
>heads or in the bodies.

You are on the right way, when you have identified at least the
insect family involved. However, it is also necessary to know what
species you deal with, as different species react in different ways
to treatment. There are several methods which might be used for
desinfestation of the objects you describe. Low oxygen methods, heat
treatment and freezing are available. For home use, freezing might
be the best. It is also important to find out how the insects are
able to come in contact with the objects, part of what is called
IPM, Integrated Pest Management.

My suggestion is that you first read about these questions, I would
like to recommend Proceedings of the 3rd Nordic Symposium on Pest
Control in Museums, Stockholm Sept 24-25-1998 (PRE-MAL and ICOM)
which can be ordered from, Monika Akerlund Swedish National Museum
of Natural History <monika.akerlund [at] nrm__se>
and Integrated Pest Management by David Pinniger and Peter Winsor
(1998) (Museums & Art Galleries Commission, 16 Queen Anne's Gate,
London SWIH 9AA.

Jan-Erik Bergh
Swedish Working Group PRE-MAL

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:36
                 Distributed: Tuesday, October 13, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-12-36-004
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