Bill and Tom, Thanks for this interesting and informative exchange. Although my experience supports Tom's point of view, I very much appreciate Bill presenting his experiences and opinions and continuing to engage in the conversation. This is just the type of discussion that makes the dislist format so valuable in spreading information and addressing problems. Rick
________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Rick Kerschner Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 9:01 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [pestlist] bugs I have to agree with Tom on the importance and effectiveness of using pest specific pheromone baited traps to identify and control insect infestations. Buy using the traps as monitors, we discovered a case making moth infestation in our 5000 sq ft large artifact storage building in the spring of 2007. By increasing the number of traps from 3 to 10 to better cover the storage space and counting trapped moths once a week, we were able to indentify which 5 carriages harbored the insects. We began a program of weekly vacuuming and watched the population in the traps decrease over the summer. We froze three of the smaller sleighs in a reefer truck over the winter. This spring, pheromone baited traps and careful inspection of the vehicles showed that the infestation was pretty well limited to the two larger sleighs that had not been frozen, and it was significantly decreased from last year. We continue to vacuum these two vehicles, have covered them with plastic sheeting, and are working to move them to a separate storage area. We continue to monitor the rest of the storage and are not seeing a spread of the infestation to other artifacts. We did use some sticky traps that were not baited quite close to the infested vehicles, and they did not catch many moths at all. From this experience, I believe that pheromone bait was critical in helping us manage this case making moth infestation. Rick ________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 4:07 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [pestlist] bugs Bill - You make some good points; no one would want to put 40+ different kinds of species specific pheromone traps in a museum collection storage area. It is simply too expensive and we don't have traps available for every kind of insect pest, which may invade collections. The only ones currently available with a pheromone specific for the kinds of pests we deal with, are those for certain fabric pests, i.e. animal protein eating pests, such as webbing clothes moths and certain carpet beetles. There are also several available for the cigarette beetle, which attacks herbarium collections, morturary masks, corn husk dolls, papier mache puppets, etc. I wish there were one available for Anobium punctatum, an important pest in libraries and certain structural wood situations, but there is none currently available. In these kinds of situations, pheromone monitoring can be very beneficial in locating the source of infestations. Once the source is known, other means can be used for disinfestation, such as anoxic gases, freezing, vacuuming, and bagging. Tom Parker -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Sent: Sat, 9 Aug 2008 4:01 pm Subject: Re: [pestlist] bugs Tom, Types of museum infestations can amount to many depending on the collections mediums, national and international contact. Are you suggesting 40+ or so different pheromone traps to be up to speed as they are species specific, though not all developed yet. Or has The Museum Trap been developed for all Art pest across the board? If you considering placing specific species traps you probably already suspect infestation and that is the time to trace the source. I don't need 10, 20 or 40 insects in a trap to know there is a problem. Monitoring the Art and insect waste is much more effective than waiting for 1 to 4 times a year for pheromone traps to do there specific job. Pheromone is great for agriculture and commercial applications where standards need to be complied but for Art application I suggest not. At best pheromone works 120 days a year during mating seasons. Species specific make the process even more challenging, knowing when mating takes place for 40 or so insects. Monitoring the Art is time better spent than toying with specie specific traps. Yes, I am not up to your speed by choice. Bill ACI In a message dated 8/8/2008 8:00:07 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Bill - Perhaps you should contact Insects Limited in the Indianapolis, the leader in pheromone research, production, and implementation in many venues. Perhaps you should get "up to speed" with your pheromone information. Pheromones are species specific. A pheromone for one species of moth will NOT attract other moths, as you have stated: "It attracts many different moths, not just clothes, webbing or casemaking moths." The pheromone for webbing clothes moths does NOT attract case-making clothes moths or any other species of moth for that matter. You are correct in stating pheromone traps should be used as a monitoring approach, not a control approach. This is why others have indicated a variety of techniques should be used for control once an infestation has been discovered. Pheromone traps are very helpful in determining the origin of an infestation so further investigation can pinpoint the source of the infestation and then implement sanitation and control measures. Tom Parker -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Sent: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 4:45 pm Subject: [pestlist] bugs Thank you to all, pointing out my mistake; "pheromone is not good for you". As I wrote below There are precautions however as stated on the labels. Pheromone traps should never be used unless you intentionally want to increase your insect population. Baited traps have the ability to pull from the outside. Should you touch the traps pheromone is not good for you. Bill, ACI Pheromone was developed to monitor food warehouses in the 1950's for, India Meal moth, Mediterranean Flour moth, Raisin moth, Tobacco moth, Angounois Grain moth. It was later found to work with Clothes moth and Webbing moth as well as others. A good reason why I am against there use related to Art. It attracts many different moths not just clothes, webbing or casemaking moths. One person suggested the traps do not pull very far. I am not sure how far and research has been difficult to find. But if pheromone traps were to be placed by a door to a hallway leading to a cafeteria, loading dock or other infested areas you can pull from outside the storage area. Pheromone works during matting maybe once a year to 4 times a year depending how long the infestation has been indoors. It works on the males flying around looking for females that are most likely stationary, on a food source. One research reported traps collected about 45% of the males in a controlled room. That still left plenty of males to continue the cycle. Before the males reach the traps they may have already visited the females. One study suggested there's communication between the male and female during the mating cycle. Pheromone traps are just to monitor as plain sticky traps are. I prefer plain as it give me a better feel in locating an infestation. If a trap is pulling from other areas it adds confusion in localizing the activity. Should you touch the pheromone sticky part of the trap you can transfer pheromone to handled objects, if not washed off correctly. Pheromone traps are a monitoring device not a treatment. Once again I apologize for my mistake. I answered the e-mail as I was leaving for my mapping, the beginning of my radiation treatments. I wasn't really focused on what I had said. Bill ACI ________________________________ Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? Read reviews on AOL Autos <http://autos.aol.com/cars-BMW-128-2008/expert-review?ncid=aolaut0005000 0000017> . ________________________________ It's time to go back to school! 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