Protecting your pride and joy

[normski]

Hi guys getting back into collecting butterflies after a good few years away I’m using wooden drawers from the paradox company very good draws by the way.Now my question is as mothballs or Napthalene are banned nowadays what’s everyone’s alternative to protect there insects?
Im based in the United Kingdom if that makes any difference on laws .Im sure this must have been asked before but I’ve tried a search but come up blank.Thanks for the input .

[miguel]

I put the box with the butterflies or moths inside the freezer for a few days.

[normski]

I’ve heard about that but how often once a year ? Thanks for the reply.

[miguel]

First of all I take a look in the box looking if I see something strange,in my experience the moths are more delicate than butterflies to get intruders in their bodies,I put the boxes at least 2 times in the year.

[Deleted]

Use one square cm ( or slightly smaller) of Vapona on a pin per box. Vapona is the material in Shell No Pest Strips. Hope they’re available in the UK. If you don’t open drawers much, this piece will last up to two years.

[steve]

Be careful though. Use gloves.
www.wired.com/2014/01/cdc-warning-misuse-pest-strips/

[Adam Cotton]

Jun 4, 2020 16:43:42 GMT -8 steve said:

Be careful though. Use gloves.
www.wired.com/2014/01/cdc-warning-misuse-pest-strips/

Indeed, NEVER touch the vapona strip with bare hands and after cutting the strip into chunks thoroughly wash your hands and anything that has been in contact with them.

I use a sharp bladed garden pruner rather than scissors to cut the strip, as it is a bit hard to cut easily with scissors. I cut up a whole strip into small chunks and store them in a medicine bottle rather than cutting off a single piece each time I need one.

Adam.

[Adam Cotton]

Jun 3, 2020 9:27:12 GMT -8 miguel said:

I put the box with the butterflies or moths inside the freezer for a few days.

If you freeze a wooden box of specimens it is advisable to put the box inside a large plastic bag and seal it before putting it in the freezer. It is very important to leave the box sealed inside the bag for at least 24 hours after removing it from the freezer before taking it out of the bag in order to allow the whole box to return to room temperature. If you take it out of the bag when still cold humidity will be absorbed by the box, and if it isn't completely airtight humidity will also be absorbed by the specimens.

Adam.

[Paul K]

I want to add that I use drill and fine bit to make the hole in Vapona squares to insert #4 pin as it is too hard to punch thru.
Note that I don’t drill all the way thru so there is some grip and the square stays up on pin.

[leptraps]

I purchase the single strips 1" X 4". I cut the into 4 pieces. I only use pest strips in temp storage boxes. My collection is in steel Entomology Cabinets. Air tight and light tight. I also have a 348 Museum Sorage Cabinet. It is full of shelves. I use it as a drying cabinet for specimens on spreading boards. I also store some papered specimens in it.

As for papered specimens, I store 95% of them in a freezer. I have a small chest freeze full of specimen in Lock & Lock Plastic containers.

[Deleted]

Yes, Adam is spot on. Cut up a whole bunch at once and store unused pieces in a jar. Then....when you need one, merely open the jar and grab one w forceps and quickly close the lid. Doing a whole bunch is also easier to do outside for minimal contact.

Never thought abt Paul’s drilling idea. To remedy the toughness of the Vapona to put a pin through, I cut my pieces (initial cut) at a 45 degree angle. Then press the pin through the thinner part of the angled piece. It’s thinner and easier to put a pin through and it will grab enough to be held by the pin. Oh....btw.....probably a no brainer, but be sure the piece of Vapona does not touch a wing or body part.

[Adam Cotton]

I forgot to mention that cutting the strip into small pieces should be done outside or in good ventilation to avoid inhaling the vapour.

I also do exactly as Bill says, use forceps to put a piece in a drawer when I need to, and thoroughly wash the forceps and my hands afterwards.

Adam.

PS. I suspect that vapona (which contains dichlorvos) may not be readily available in the UK.

[valleysboyo]

Hi, yes, Adam is right, Vapona was phased out some years ago in the EU (hence the UK), just like naphthalene (which does not actually kill the pest species anyway, merely deterring them by masking the natural odour of the specimens) and 1-4-paradichlorobenzene. 

However, there is a relatively new product (+/- 8yrs) on the market sold as a clothes moth killer with contains a new-ish synthetic pyrethroid which is apparently of relatively low toxicity to humans (compared to the likes of dichlorvos, 1-4-PDB, etc.), but is claimed to be very effective against clothes moths and carpet beetles (Anthrenus sp., similar to museum beetle).

I have been using it now for several years and it seems to be very effective against the pests (not sure how ineffective it is against me, though, so I still try not to take lung-fulls!), even dealing with some specimens which were affected. In addition, it doesn't have a strong smell [unlike naphthalene, which I find revolting, and 1-4-PDB, which whilst not an unpleasant odour, does smell like the small waxy blocks that they used to put in public urinals (because they also contained PDB)!!]; the small orange coloured spheres are lightly lavender-scented, and are in clear plastic containers, a bit like sweet wrappers, and are easy to secure in the drawer with a couple of pins. The downside of the lack of odour, I suppose, I that it's more difficult to gauge personal exposure. However, it is licensed for use in wardrobes in bedrooms to protect clothes, so provided the concentration does not exceed that recommended, I presume it should be safer than the now unavailable products.

They're sold as "Zensect moth proofer" and are readily available in the UK from Wilkinson's, etc., for £3 - £4 per box of 20, and you can get good bulk deals on amazon and ebay. I find 1 sphere per box/drawer is more than adequate. They change from orange to white as they release the active agent, this usually takes about 3-6 months. I renew them roughly annually.

Hope this helps.

[Paul K]

I used Zensect balls in Thailand and Psocids were roaming my drawers up and down like nothing happened. I don’t recommend them however some European collectors are using them so far without problem. Although I suppose that there are no dermestids at the first place.

I replaced Zensect balls with Paradichlorobenzene balls and all Psocids were killed/gone in no time.

[jhyatt]

Some craft stores (Hobby Lobby, etc) sell packages of 100 T-headed pins that are about 1.5" long. These are very strong,
thick pins with a "T" top that is easy to grip. I use these to pin 1 cm squares of Vapona strips in my bug drawers. They go through
the Vapona without bending and don't seem to corrode.

jh










.