What is Eating Your Collections?

Conference 2010 S18 - Tuesday 9.05am

All too often pest control is a reaction to the discovery of insect activity and damage. The aim of Integrated Pest Management [IPM] is to provide practical, safe and cost-effective methods to prevent collections and buildings from being damaged by pests. The major causes of deterioration are the environmental effects of temperature and humidity together with agents of decay such as insects and moulds. All of these factors are inter-related and the IPM approach is to look at the whole picture rather than to react to each crisis.

To develop an IPM strategy it is important to understand and recognise some of the key components; monitoring for pests, targeting treatment only where it is needed and modifying the environment to discourage pest attack. Once the problem has been identified, then the options for control must be evaluated. There are many factors involved in the decision on what will be the most appropriate treatment to use for the building or objects. The treatment used against an infestation in an object will depend upon the type and fragility of the object, the situation it is in, the environment where it is kept and the available budget. Implementing practical IPM will allow you to care for collections in the most cost-effective way.

To help people and give them the tools to carry out their own IPM programme, a number of guides and aids have been developed. A colour pest poster, a book and pest fact sheets are already available and we are currently developing a CD “What’s eating your collections”.

Jayne Thompson-Webb, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Jane decided that she wanted to be a conservator after visiting an exhibition about conservation in Bristol when she was... more...

David Pinniger, DBP Entomology, Cookham, Berks

David Pinniger is an entomologist who provides specialist consultancy and training on pests in museums, archives and historic houses. He... more...

Related sessions

Top of the page