Equipment for storing of beetles.

storage draws or
storage boxes.
Repelents.

Permanent storage boxes has to be at least 42 - 50 mm (1 3/4 - 2 in) deep, from bottom to top with the lid on, excluding the layer of pinning material.
The pinning material for the bottom should be about 6 - 10 mm (1/4 - 3/8 in) thick.
The best is cork sheet, polyethylene, dry peat block,.

The paradichlorbemnzene - repelent damage polystyrene.

The collection could be destroyed by other insects especially by:
 beetles Anthrenus - Dermestidae (small hairy larvae 1 - 6 mm),
 Psillids - book lice - small white creatures (0.5 - 1 mm)
or by mould,

The naphtalene do not kill pests just works as repelent.
Paradychlorbenzene is little dangerous but kill the pest.
Mirbane oil = dinitrobenzen - dangerous

Infected box with beetles or psoids could be treated as follow:
Put the infected draw or box into soft plastic bag to keep moisture off. Put the box for three days into freezer with temperature minimum -5degrees of Celsius..
When you take drawer/box out from the freezer, leave in room temperature for a day a put it back to freezer again.
Repeat this procedure three times.

If you like to know something about TYPES, click here.

The mould
The method I have always used is to dissolve some Thymol crystals in Isopropyl alcohol and then gently brush it on the affected areas with a soft paint brush. It instantly vaporizes most molds, and it's works as a deterrent for many months to come. A Warning: Thymol is a very poisonous fungicide and should not be ingested or gotten on bare skin. Also it's vapors are dangerous ( The crystals are used by book conservators to "Vapor" treat antique books and documents by encasing them for a time in a container with the crystals ), so use good ventilation.  Craig Z. 

Solution of the Ammonium NH4OH can be also used.

Last modified on Sunday, 28 January 2007