Content uploaded by Stephan Biebl
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Stephan Biebl on Dec 17, 2019
Content may be subject to copyright.
Integrated Pest Management for Cultural Heritage
4 th international conference
Stockholm, 21 May 2019
Practical emergency plans
in the case of pest infestations
in museums
Content
•Emergency planning
•Acute pest attack in museums
•Overview of common museums pests
•Practical examples for acute pest attack in museums
•Application errors by emergency management
•Prevention of emergency situations
•Emergency measures
•Example of emergency work flow
•Conclusion
Fire
Extreme weather
Earthquake
Pests
„Emergency planning is an important tool
for prevention of cultural heritage“
German Emergency Network Group / 2019
Basic principles
•avoid emercency situations
•minimize damage
•prevent losses
•rescue objects
Emercency planning
Integrated Pest Management
(Agnes Brokerhof)
1. Avoid
3. Detect
2. Block
4. Confine
5. Treat
Prevention
Intervention
Building
House keeping Isolation
Monitoring
Traps
Identify
Overview of common museum pests
Types of food sources
Examples
keratin based material
(e.g. fur, feathers, wool)
clothes moths
and carpet beetles
wood (particular plywood)
furniture beetle,
powder post beetle, dry wood termites
dried plants or food, seeds
cigarette beetle,
drugstore beetle, ham beetle
cellulose based material
silverfish, firebrats,
long-tailed silverfish
moulds and fungi
booklice, fungus and plaster beetles
detritus
spider beetles
human food and waste
cockroaches, rodents, ants
Difference between
infestation < > acute attack
Difference between
infestation < > acute attack
Mould
Bad climate conditions
over 60% RH
and sources (dust)
Acute pest attack in museums
Case stories of acute pest attack in museums
Infestation in exhibition decoration
with wood pests
Palm tree borer (Enneadesmus trispinosus)
Case stories of acute pest attack in museums
Infestation in exhibition rooms
with stored product pests
Red-legged ham beetle (Necrobia rufipes)
Case stories of acute pest attack in museums
Infestation in a storage room
with textile pests
Webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella)
•Lack of preventive measures
•Lack of quarantine
•Lack of experience and knowledge about pests
•Panic actions (e.g. internal transport of infested material)
•Incorrect application of biocides
•Missing pest control management
Application errors by emergency management
•Set an in-house quarantine strategy
•Form an emergency group (e.g for high risk collections)
•Maintaince freezers and chambers for treatment
•Create an emergency plan
•Have a quarantine room available
•Create a routine for risk assessment of incoming objects
•Offer regular training for staff and IPM coordinators
•Keep an easily accessible emergency box*
Prevention of emergency situations
Example of emergency box*
Material
Examples
Handouts
with contact details
IPM coordinator
collections response team
specialist biologists
Literature
IPM manual book
posters with pests
Investigative material
disposable gloves, flashlight,
magnifying glass, insect tubes
Insect determination
USB microscope
Camera or mobile phone
Cleaning agent
vacuum cleaner with pipe extension
Isolation material
garbage bags, stacking boxes, foils,
zip
-bags, cover films, tape, double
tape, insect netting, barrier band
Measurement equipment
moisture measuring device for wood
Tools
scissors, knives
Pest traps
glue traps for insects, rodent traps
•Identification / Assessment
•Informing responsible persons
•Request for help
•Instruction of assistances
•Documentation of the damage
•Determining the extent and nature of the damage
•Provision of material and device
•Isolate infested materials
•Secure infested spaces
•Disposing (packaging or infested material)
•Clarification next steps
Example of emergency work flow
Emergency measures
Secure
e.g. one-sided sticky surface
Isolate
e.g. stretch foil
Photo: Hingst
Emergency measures
Isolation
outside the museum
e.g. cultural heritage
emergency container
Photo: Maruchi Yoshida / Kurecon
Conclusion
Emergency planning is an important tool of prevention of cultural heritage
Training or courses for staff is important to avoid panic actions
Simple measures are sufficient in emergency situations to avoid
spreading of pests
Emergency plans and equipment should be available
New or invasive pests may require separate emergency measures
Open communication about pest infestations between museums
Thank you for attention