Any Advice?

I recently received this letter from a reader.  I am hardly an expert on taxidermy care, particularly in preventing insects.  Any advice or hints?

Dear Rachel

I wondered if you could advise me of taxidermy maintainence, or you maybe able to guide me in the right direction. I own a number of masks which are wall mounted throughout my flat, however i've just noticed that something seems to be laying its eggs on them, do you know how to remove these and to prevent this happening again.

Comments

[Justin]

For prevention, crush up some mothballs - the kind with paradichlorobenzene, I think it is, and place that on or around the mask in some way that keeps it attached or near the mask.

It's pretty noxious stuff, so make sure it's not going to get loose. I know this works for mounted insects in a confined space, but the smell of the mothballs may not work out in an open space.

As for removing what's there, I don't know - a good vacuum with a tight nozzle?

[Jenny]

Definetly moth balls.

When the animals were preserved they should have been injected perhaps with a formalin type solution which would have stopped the infestation in the first place. Mothballs will cure though!

[Bonnie]

Honestly without looking at the piece I am unsure of how to advise you, but I assume that these masks have organic animal material on them right? I've had problems with dermestid beetles so here is what I can offer:

Dermestid beetles (and carpet beetles, fur beetles, leather beetles) are notorious for eating dead animal material, insect collections, and museum collections. Whether they have the ability to eat properly preserved items is up to debate, but I'd periodically inspect and moth proof your mounts regularly just in case.

Here's where the problem is, even if you save the piece that is currently inspected, the infestation is probably already trying to spread through your place. I've had problems with these beetles... and it's nothing to be too alarmed about, they are just as destructive as carpet beetles... which are VERY common in houses and by means say you keep a dirty place... they happen to even best of us.

There are two things you can do:

Option A) if you have a big enough freezer, put infested pieces in a plastic bag and put these in the freezer for four to five days. This will kill the live bugs but not the eggs. Now after the four to five days take the mounts out and let them sit in the plastic bag for four to five days more in a room temperature area.... this should get the eggs to hatch, now put repeat the process one or two more times, periodically freezing and thawing for days at a time.

Second option: Put the pieces in a plastic bag and use a store bought bug bomb for whatever days it recommends... remember to make sure you have a bug bomb that is going to take care of carpet beetles in the like. Repeat every 20 days, or sixty days, or whatever the bomb recommends.

I have done a combination of options 1 and 2.

Whatever method you choose, you will have to bug bomb your whole room. These beetles are good at hiding in unseen places after they lay their eggs... They go can survive on human food, pet feces, any organic material.... so to get rid of any eggs or bugs that may have moved away from the taxidermy pieces and onto the floor or couch, bomb the entire place.

Good luck!!

-Bonnie

[morgan]

I have a home taxidermy museum and have recently found that 3 pieces are being destroyed by moths it is heartbreaking. we are freezing and vacuuming and will try the bug bomb it is so sad to have something you love and care for destroyed.
-morgan

[Rosie]

it might be termites, that came with the mask. i was watching this programme recently and this couple had some masks which were being eaten away. anyway, the bug guys said: put them in the freezer for 24 hours and it should kill them. R