Japanese collectors habits

[Chuck]

I assume you mean "fortunate" rather than "unfortunate".

No, I mean "unfortunate" because it's sub-freezing for three plus months.

[bobw]

Oh OK, I get it now. But you probably need lower than about -10 C to kill dermestids. I hope you don't get that for 3 months!

[vabrou]

Adam,
33 years ago I published a brief bit of info about paradichlorobenzene, naphthalene, freezing, heat and other methods of pest controls in collections of insects..... Here is a free access web link to that old publication: https://www.academia.edu/30703027/Healt ... omologist_

I also just a few weeks back mentioned the state of using paradichlorobenzene in this venue. Perhaps you don't believe what I say in this forum? Paradichlorobenzene has a half life of one month in air. It has not been proven to cause cancer in humans, nor has it been studied concerning cancer in humans. It does have a long list of lesser medical maladies experienced by humans. I have been personally purchasing and using Paradichlorobenzene for over 55 years here in Louisiana for the control of collection pests. All along and right now it is freely available for retail purchases by anyone in stores and on the web. But, one has to use 'common sense', one should not use this product or any potentially toxic evaporating chemicals where they live and breathe continuously. Over 42 years ago I separated my 500,000 specimen master insect storage collection away from my living quarters. This product is often and easily found in housekeeping, even beekeeping products as granular crystals or compressed into cakes, e.g. toilet deodorizers. But, in the last few years, some manufacturers have now produced paradichlorobenzene in mini-ball-shape compressed form, half the volume size of naphthalene moth balls. This is the go-to product for all of us with private collections of insects, arachnids, mammals and bird skins, pressed plant and seed collections, dinosaur bones, dried fish, did I mention dinosaur fossils? etc.....

NAPHTHALENE has lots of negative connotations upon humans. But as you read in my 33 year old comments about naphthalene it is 100% totally useless as an insect collection fumigant. If you spend $10.00 for napthalene for pest control, you have just wasted $10.00. Commonly referred to as 'moth balls' the use and value of this product is an old wives tale, --- it does not work, nor has it ever worked. Its use is governed by the fact that it has a century-long history of household use without any definitive proof of damage to humans.

Also Adam, you stated Vapona strips are a USA product. WRONG!!, look at my 33-year old comments. Not manufactured in the USA, but can still be imported into the USA. This is the worse chemical to use in any insect collection. First, it does not control nor kill any psocids and dermestid beetles. This product if useless and a waste of money, but worse it will over time permanently destroy your specimens, your storage drawers and over time creates droplets of accumulated liquids within sealed specimens storage containers (drawers). These droplets over time bleed onto your collections and depending on conditions sometimes can re-accumulate onto your specimens. THE BIG PROBLEM everyone experiences with vapona is that it will corrode steel insect pins, thus eventually destroying your valuable specimens as the corrosion invades and permanently attaches to the internal areas of the thorax and abdominal areas of insects.

Regarding freezing, this is not a simple to use method to use for pest control, in fact it often damages specimens unless you have large independent freezing facilities with dehumidifying equipment. And still it may not kill pests insects due to sloppy methods and procedures. I'm sure people here think that they can use their home freezer for this method, but it is not feasible, practical nor recommended by me. You can easily destroy your lifetime collection.

Low heat: This is a form of 100% control and killing of psocids and dermestids in insect storage which I personally developed and successively used for the past 50+ years. YES, it absolutely works. And I have exposed this method to hundreds of thousands of papered duplicate insect specimens - it works.

You should know that none of these chemicals discussed here nor methods, are used for pest control by museums. There are numerous dozens of solid and gas products out there created specifically for museum use in pest control. Keep in mind that there are many hundreds of millions, perhaps billions of museum specimens out there across the world. I have several such publications produced by pest control governing boards of worldwide museums.

Also 33 years ago I also published instructions how to create your own fumigant storage boxes for use in specimen drawers: https://www.academia.edu/31059939/Do_it ... imen_cases and I have successivly used these same (900+) fumigant holders for the past 45 years in my collection drawers.

[Cabintom]

Low heat: This is a form of 100% control and killing of psocids and dermestids in insect storage which I personally developed and successively used for the past 50+ years. YES, it absolutely works. And I have exposed this method to hundreds of thousands of papered duplicate insect specimens - it works.

How low is "low heat"? I live at the equator and my attic gets quite hot at over the course of the mid-day. I've often wondered if it would be beneficial or detrimental to my collection if I were to store it there.

[adamcotton]

I also just a few weeks back mentioned the state of using paradichlorobenzene in this venue. Perhaps you don't believe what I say in this forum?

Actually, I did not mention Paradichlorbenzene in any of my posts in this thread. I find the second sentence rather unnecessary, as well as inaccurate.

Also Adam, you stated Vapona strips are a USA product. WRONG!!, look at my 33-year old comments. Not manufactured in the USA, but can still be imported into the USA.

Thank you for pointing that out. I looked at an old packet that was brought to me by a US visitor more than 10 years ago, and indeed it stated 'Made in England for XXX in the USA'.
Thank you also for the information about the effects of it on specimens and pins. I can however confirm that it does kill Psocids very well. I once had a box which had somehow been infested with Psocids, and a small piece of 'no pest strip' absolutely killed all the pests very quickly.

Low heat: This is a form of 100% control and killing of psocids and dermestids in insect storage

Presumably it works partly by producing an environment that is too warm and, as a result of the heat (40+C?), too dry for pests.

Adam.

[Chuck]

too dry for pests

I think that's the key. 40C and 90% humidity sure doesn't help, so it must be the reduction of humidity.

[martellat0]

Thank you all for your replies regarding collection maintenance and pest control.

I'm down to my last two tins

That is a real shame. I'm sorry that you feel compelled to part with your collection due to what should have been a routine/trivial matter (i.e. acquiring supplies).

Are 'no-pest strips' available in The Philippines?

I don't believe I've seen them for sale physically, but I should be able to purchase them somehow. Thank you for this, I believe this suggestion is worth pursuing.

martellat0 IF you can get your collection into an air conditioned area that would be better for it.

On that, we are agreed. However this is not something I'm able to do currently. Suffice it to say that when I have my own house, it'll have a room (or two) devoted to insects

it does not work, nor has it ever worked

I'm surprised by this revelation. I'm aware that naphthalene doesn't kill pests, but I can at least attest that it keeps them out of drawers. Since adopting the use of mothballs in my collection, I have not had any problems with Psocoids, even though I sometimes see them in particularly dusty areas of my home. Nonetheless, your comments on long-term application of fumigants/methods for pest control are very helpful. Thank you.

How low is "low heat"?

As Adam and Chuck have mentioned, it seems to be a matter of humidity rather than temperature. However, to quote an article published in the Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (accessed via the website of the US National Library of Medicine):

"Psocids are unlikely to complete development or reproduce at temperatures below 20 °C or above 40 °C, and they cannot survive when the relative humidity is consistently below 50% to 60%."

The article cites the following as sources for the above claim:

https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.54.110807.090451
https://doi.org/10.1080/09670879409371879
https://doi.org/10.1603/029.102.0439

[Chuck]

martellat0 you might try one of these micro-dehumidifiers if you can close the door to the room.

[tried to link to Amazon but it wont show] Search Amazon for small dehumidifiers. I'm sure you can buy them somewhere in Philippines.

Not specifically that brand, but the small ones that accumulate in the small tank. I have one in my bug room/ office to knock down the humidity a few percent.

[martellat0]

Chuck,

Thank you for the suggestion. I will look into that.

[lamprima2]

Has anyone had experience with paradichlorobenzene (PDB) before? Upon consideration, it's probably the only other option that is readily available to me, as it happens to be the main constituent of a local bathroom air freshener. I'm open to other suggestions, but acquiring specialized supplies is difficult in the Philippines (at least, without incurring hefty shipping costs and waiting months for a package to arrive).

Are 'no-pest strips' available in The Philippines? These are a US product (so may be available there) containing Vapona, which has dichlorvos as its active ingredient. This is also quite dangerous, but if you open the plastic case for the product (wear rubber gloves and never allow it to contact your skin!!!) and use strong scissors or garden pruners to cut the strip into about 1cm squares you can put one square in each specimen box. It will kill pests and prevent infestation for several years.

Note: NEVER, EVER touch it with your fingers!

Adam.

I agree with Adam: "No-pest strips" containing Dichlorvos (2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate) work well, they
have been efficient in my experience. I have used it for about 20 years and have not noticed any adverse effects on the pins or
specimens. I use a designated plastic cutting board and a designated sharp knife to cut the strips instead of pruners and put the pieces of fumigant in glass fumigant holders obtained from BioQuip (unfortunately, they aren't available anymore. See my old post:viewtopic.php?t=1669)
Regarding freezing, oversized zip locks big enough to hold the drawer are readily available on Amazon, etc.

[Barnzell]

I am very curious to know about "low heat" treatment. I have tried freezing and it works ok. However, it seems that some of the eggs still survive, thinking it is winter.

I have also done my own experiments with No Pest Strips. I took an entire strip and put it in a sealed bag with a set of infested specimens. They did not die. I think it may prevent them from coming around but it does not seem to kill them once they are present.

So I have been thinking about heating. My question is what temperature and for how long?

[kevinkk]

So I have been thinking about heating. My question is what temperature and for how long?

Intuitive. Try 150 f, below flash point and above what insects can survive. Even temps close to 200 f are probably safe for cases.
Pests can have life cycles that allow for adverse conditions, it may take a couple cycles to be sure.
As far as timing, perhaps more than an hour at least.

[adamcotton]

I have also done my own experiments with No Pest Strips. I took an entire strip and put it in a sealed bag with a set of infested specimens. They did not die. I think it may prevent them from coming around but it does not seem to kill them once they are present.

By 'infested' are you referring to Dermestid larvae or Psocids? I think that Dermestid larvae may become 'comatose' (I saw this once in some boxes of the Sukkit collection after I treated them with vapona), but in my experience Psocids definitely die.

Adam.

[Barnzell]

Sorry Adam, I was not clear. Yes, I am referring to Dermestid infestations.

Thank you for the information Kevin. I read somewhere that certain pest control companies are using this method to kill infestations by heating up an entire room. I am trying to figure out a way to safely heat the small room periodically where I keep my 10,000+ specimens.

[adamcotton]

Intuitive. Try 150 f, below flash point and above what insects can survive. Even temps close to 200 f are probably safe for cases.

The first paper cited by vabrou above, available at
https://www.academia.edu/30703027/Healt ... omologist_
recommends a few days at 110-115F (43.3-46.1C) when on the spreading board, see the article for recommended methodology. However, this does not explain how to use low heat to kill previously prepared specimens.

Adam.