InsectNet forum

Hello, I was able to acquire this specimen last week, probably from 1969 or 1970. My question is (I have several such frames and small boxes, which I do not want to open, but could possibly have pest infestation) how they can be disinfected. My idea was to expose everything in airtight plastic bags (plastic boxes) to a toxic gas. I used to do this with dry ice (CO2), but that was a long time ago and it is hard to get now.
Does anyone have any ideas? Cyanide, chlorine or anything else is too dangerous for me. But I don't want the moths or other moths to be damaged,
Thank you Joachim

Sorry for my poor English
https://e1.pcloud.link/publink/show?cod ... uPJ5wK5vEX

P.S. Or does anyone have an idea to take the moth out of the frame and prepare it? This is almost a surgical operation, was relatively expensive, so "no risk no fun?".

Just freeze it

Indeed, as Paul says that's all you need to do.

That looks to be a wonderful piece and I'll bet it was well put together because if it was not it would already be dust by now.

Unless you have plans of putting it on a pin for your collection I would leave it as it is. The colors look pretty good still and the species is awesome !

It appears to lay on a nice soft bed of cotton rather than having it simply glued in place (which is what most framers do).

Hey it's a VERY NICE vintage piece which looks good as is so, why mess with a good thing? You could still hang it in a room that doesn't have very much natural light exposure or leave it in a cabinet to admire.

What an amazing find and a pretty darn expensive item to get these days.

Put the whole frame in a sealed plastic bag or box and freeze it for about a week, take the frame still sealed in its container out of the freezer for a week then put it back in the freezer for another week. Any eggs that may have survived the first freezing will hatch, and the second freeze will kill the larvae.

After the second freeze remove the frame (still sealed in its container) from the freezer and place it in the room for 24 hours before opening the bag/box and taking the frame out. That will prevent condensation from humidity in the air reaching the frame before the temperature has equalised.

Adam.

Hello, thank you, I know the procedure but I have no way to freeze anything, we bnneed the fridge for food and have no room for another. Therefore my question about poison gas or other gas.