Fumigation of collection of land snails

Valerie Tomlinson <vtomlinson [at] aucklandmuseum__com> writes

>One of our natural history curators here is receiving a donation of
>a collection of land snails that has been stored in wooden cabinet
>infested with silverfish and wood borer. The land snails have very
>sensitive proteinaceous shells that cannot tolerate even small
>changes in humidity and can't be frozen to kill the borer. The
>curator would like to send the snails to be fumigated with methyl
>bromide at the Ministry of Agriculture facilities. Does anyone know
>what impact (if any) methyl bromide has on proteinaceous land snail
>shells?
>
>I fear heat treatment to kill the borer would be even worse than
>freezing, and we are not set up for anoxia at present.

I fear that methyl bromide would create all sorts of reactivity
problems given that these shells are so sensitive. Although you say
you are not set up for anoxia yet, this is your only safe and sure
way of eradicating the pests.  I would suggest that you try
aluminium laminate film, heat-sealed and with oxygen scavengers that
are apparently more effective than Ageless.  For more information
see

    <URL:http://www.colinsmithconservation.com>

All the materials can be sent by post/courier.

With all good wishes, Simon

Simon Moore MIScT, FLS, ACR,
Conservator of Natural Sciences,


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:15
                Distributed: Tuesday, September 20, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-25-15-001
                                  ***