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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2014 8:17:40 GMT -8
Adam makes some very good points about the disadvantages of envelopes compaired to triangles. I have never had any of the trouble he has described using them but that's not to say I won't. The largest specimens that I put in them are the north American silk moths. I have put many lunas in them with no problems. They do make many different sizes of envelopes to choose from and on the flip side u can make triangles whatever size u want.
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Post by cabintom on Sept 4, 2014 12:25:02 GMT -8
For storage- what about using the cheap fake Tupperware sealed bins? Glue in some foam, pin the specimens, take the box into an air conditioned (and lower humidity) room, and close it up. Low humidity now trapped inside. And those bins seem to be available almost anywhere worldwide. I don't personally know anyone in Bunia who has air conditioning... well, one of the banks does, but it's only running when there's city power. About half the collection is in fake tupperware bins, but the lids don't quite snap on. They fit fairly snugly, but not snugly enough. I'll need to figure out a way to make them seal when closed... and maybe only open them during dry season. |
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Post by exoticimports on Sept 8, 2014 11:22:33 GMT -8
OK, OK. More tropical problems.
Next time you go overseas buy a bunch of good Tupperware and stuff you clothes in them. When full, they don't take up any room.
Make friends with the bankers.
Bring an air conditioner with you. You can probably sell it for what you paid when you leave. Heck I flew a generator all over the Pacific, you should be able to do an A/C.
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Post by jshuey on Sept 10, 2014 4:48:45 GMT -8
I've seen a few private collections in the humid tropics. They all start out nice, but in the absence of air conditioning they eventually deteriorate. Even if you manage to control humidity to a reasonable level, psocids will eventually get into the collection and slowly eat it.
If you are serious about keeping a collection I’d try a series of things – but these are just guesses.
1 air tight containers for storage
2 I’d periodically put desiccant in the containers – to knock down moisture as much as possible (you can buy and re-use this by the quart. We take it to Belize with us, dry it out in a skillet, and then drop it into our storage containers to suck the moisture out of the bugs – repeat as needed).
3 I’d keep some chlorocresol in with the specimens to control mold for the times when humidity does creep up too high
4 I’d put no-pest strips in the containers to keep psocids and dermestids under control.
And I would still expect to lose the collection. Somehow – you need to have a small room where you can control humidity…
John
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Post by exoticimports on Sept 10, 2014 6:20:53 GMT -8
I used chlorocresol once and it ruined a bunch of specimens. It partially sublimed and turned into mush, glueing the specimen into the glassine envelopes.
As for controlling humidity I wonder if this is an application for one of those inexpensive food evaporators. Set the specimen, and then put it into an evap to completely dry it out. Better to start dry than damp, I suppose.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Sept 10, 2014 11:33:59 GMT -8
Chlorocresol will affect the colours of some species, especially blue such as in the Papilio nireus group and Lycaenids.
Adam.
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Post by cabintom on Sept 10, 2014 11:51:58 GMT -8
Chlorocresol will affect the colours of some species, especially blue such as in the Papilio nireus group and Lycaenids. Adam. Is there anything else that could be used to help stop mold? |
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Post by jshuey on Sept 11, 2014 5:03:48 GMT -8
I used chlorocresol once and it ruined a bunch of specimens. It partially sublimed and turned into mush, glueing the specimen into the glassine envelopes. As for controlling humidity I wonder if this is an application for one of those inexpensive food evaporators. Set the specimen, and then put it into an evap to completely dry it out. Better to start dry than damp, I suppose. For Chlorocresol to work, you have to keep moisture down. The stuff dissolves in water - and will indeed cause problems if there is condensation inside the container. Once it is dissolved in water, it can be a serious problem with papered material, where it infuses anything that will absorb water, specimens included. What it does prevent is that slow mold build up in specimens that or “sort of dry” but still humid enough to mold. It should not be a problem with pinned material, if you keep it partitioned in a small container off to the side. It will infuse the air – and prevent mold. I will say that this stuff can’t be good for you. Just like naphthalene, it has to have long-term exposure risks. So I would not want to use it in a room that is poorly ventilated. But I’m guessing that won’t be a problem in Africa. John |
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Post by exoticimports on Sept 11, 2014 5:20:03 GMT -8
Great John. I use naphthalene in my bug room which isn't much ventilated...and which is also my computer room. Is 30 years exposure too much?
Chuck
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Post by jshuey on Sept 11, 2014 5:55:07 GMT -8
Great John. I use naphthalene in my bug room which isn't much ventilated...and which is also my computer room. Is 30 years exposure too much? Chuck I have a theory about this. I grew up in the era when chemicals like this were used in abundance by museum types. I can remember reaching down into a barrel of formalin to fish out turtles to identify. I remember my eyes watering at the Carnegie Museum from the PDB in the air. I know what carbontetrachloride tastes like on the back of your tongue after you smell it. (man that killed bugs fast!). I still use cyanide (but I literally just used my last few grains this summer – and there is no getting more in today’s fearful world). My theory - I think the susceptible people all died young and you never got to meet them. The old entomologists are the same people who would easily live past 100 if they smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day. So, after 30 years of naphthalene – I’d say you passed the test. The flip side is, I’m an ambivalent cancer survivor. I blame something in my past – that’s for sure. But what? Genetics? Exposure? Hell, I worked for a non-profit consulting firm that gave me annual physicals that took about 8 hours over a 2-day period – that’s how much they needed to cover their butts relative to the EPA superfund sites they sent me to on a weekly basis. Who knows what I encountered at those sites. So –I’ve traded in naphthalene for an annual “no-pest strip” treatment of the collection. I don’t go near PDB. And I know that I probably should give up the daily cigars – but man – that’s tough. Anyway – that’s my theory John |
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