InsectNet forum

Hi,help needed,does ethyle acetate or similar removal worknon specimens

Anna,

It would be helpful if you explained what sort of specimens you have mould problems with. Different techniques can be used for Lepidoptera and Coleoptera.

Also there are different types of mould, such as one that looks like a white sheet, or others which are not so obvious, but produce small brown spores all over the infested area.

Adam.

PS. I just realised you wrote this in the Lepidoptera forum, so you must be referring to mould on butterflies or moths. The type of mould would be useful to know, and also are the specimens spread or papered? Adding a photo may be helpful too.
Ethyl acetate may kill the mould and stop it from spreading further, but one of the best preventative actions is to completely dry the specimens. That won't remove sheet or thread mould, and if spores are present they should ALL be removed with a soft paint brush.

Mould powder on abdomen of a Morpho malintzin female just arrived from overseas, body needs degreasing powder brushes off was going to paint benzine on affected parts, am unsure if its ok

Wow, a Morpho with an abdomen! You are lucky, I really don't like all those photos of specimens with no abdomens.

Hopefully you can brush the mould off with a soft very small paintbrush.

I think ethyl acetate or 70% ethanol would be a better wash than benzene. Apart from the danger associated with that chemical it may dissolve body fats and spread them over the area that gets wet, especially as Morpho are susceptible to greasing.

If the only external evidence is powdery spores, probably rather than washing the specimen(s) a better treatment would be just to really thoroughly dry them out.

Adam.

Thanks Adam.
Yes an abdomen, all my Iphimedeia specimens are well endowed with abdomens.
I posted a reference to the reclassified theseus grp on books and publications section