Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Curating collections at home

Posted by Andre on 07-11-2005 00:41
#2

If you are the happy owner of a large deep-freeze, with enough space for a box (or more at the same time maybe), the solution may be simple AND very environmentally friendly: to kill all possible pests place a box in the freeze at a temperature of minus 30 degrees Celsius for a week. Make a schedule, so you roulate every box say every 6 months or so. That's all! You don't need any poison at all.
Need not say, that using boxes that close very well is the first important thing. And avoid "importing" already contained insects in the box, by first placing them in the freeze.

Myself, I don't even use a freeze (don't have one, won't buy me one), only wooden boxes that close very well. Some mites are found once in a while, but these seem not harmfull. I avoid placing any specimen in "open air" when not necessary. When I want to dry them, I place them in a box first.

Hope this helped! Good luck!