This is a message from the Pest Management Database List. To post to this list send it as an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe look at the footer of this email. -----------------------------------------------------------Hello Kristen, I forwarded your e-mail to our Collection Manager of Ornithology to get his opinion on the material you saw among the specimens. Below are his thoughts. Regards, Tania
Tania Collas Head of Conservation Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90007 (213) 763-3513 -----Original Message----- From: Kimball Garrett Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 12:06 PM To: Tania Collas Subject: RE: [pestlist] help with identification of possible frass Tania, This sounds like a perfect description of sawdust or perhaps some similar absorbent often used in skin preparation. Corn meal was probably the most common item used to absorb fluids and grease during the skinning process, but fine sawdust was/is frequently used. We use corn cob powder, which is finer than what Kirsten is describing (in fact, it is so fine that many preparators don't like to use it, since it is harder to completely remove from the exterior of the skin). I'd be surprised if what she is describing is anything other than sawdust, and that is certainly nothing to worry about. Kimball Kimball L. Garrett Ornithology Collections Manager Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90007 (213) 763-3368 (213) 746-2999 FAX [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:pestlist- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 11:06 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [pestlist] help with identification of possible frass > > This is a message from the Pest Management Database List. > To post to this list send it as an email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe look at the footer of this email. > ----------------------------------------------------------- > Hello, > > So, last Friday afternoon I discovered that two bobcat specimens (stuffed > skins) in the collection are infested with case-making clothes moths. > While I'm not thrilled to find them, it is a very obvious and recognizable > pest. We have two cabinets of natural history specimens (mammals & birds) > and while examining the other specimens for moths, I found something else. > Many of the birds have sawdust-looking material in their feathers in the > area between their legs. Some of the birds have sticks inserted into them > that are about the same color as the material, but I've found the sawdust > in other birds, too, and as far as I can tell the sticks don't seem to be > damaged. The material doesn't look like little pellets, but more like > flakes. I can't really tell the origin of the flakes without pulling the > specimens apart, but it looks like they could be coming out of an opening. > Most of the specimens have been stuffed with cotton-like batting as far as > I can tell, and they all date from the late 1960s to the present. > > Does anyone have any idea what the flakes could be? Are they evidence of > pests (either current or past) or some sort of product of the > preservation/stuffing process? I can send a picture if that would help. > > Thanks, > Kirsten > > > Kirsten Kvam > Curator > Point Reyes National Seashore > 1 Bear Valley Road > Point Reyes, CA 94956 > (415) 464-5218 > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > To send an email to the list, send your msg to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe from this list send an email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] and in the body put: > "unsubscribe pestlist" > Any problems email [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------------------- To send an email to the list, send your msg to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe from this list send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and in the body put: "unsubscribe pestlist" Any problems email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
