HERBARIUM PEST CONTROL
HERBARIUM PEST CONTROL
Pest control specific to herbaria collections is similar in many respects to museum pest control. In herbaria, we have a situation where any amount of pest damage to a stored plant specimen is too much damage. Many of these collections are irreplaceable or the specimen is extinct. In such a sensitive situation, monitoring for insect pests is an extremely valuable tool. Early detection of insect pests can avoid damage before it occurs. Following are several insect species common to an herbarium and their biology.
CIGARETTE
BEETLE (Lasioderma serricorne)
This destructive insect is a
serious pest of dried plant material. It can also cause serious
damage to books. The Cigarette beetle is a small brown beetle
measuring 2-3 mm in length. The Cigarette beetle is closely
related to the Drugstore beetle which can cause difficulty in
identification. However, with some training they can be
distinguished easily. The Cigarette beetle has wings covered in
small hairs whereas the Drugstore beetle's wings have rows of
punctations.
Food: This beetle feeds on a great diversity of
edible and non edible products. They may infest stored food
products such as spices, rice, dry pet foods, as well as seeds,
plant material, pharmaceuticals, and books among many other
materials. It is especially important as a pest of tobacco
products.
Life Cycle: Females lay the eggs in the larval food
and hatch in 6 to 10 days. The larval period lasts 5 to 10 weeks.
The pupal period lasts 2 to 3 weeks. The entire life cycle takes
about 10 to 12 weeks. Adults live up to a month.
Trap Use and Placement: There are
three trap designs available for this beetle. No Survivor traps
are hung in areas where foods are stored, while the Serrico trap
and Tobacco Beetle Trap can be hung along a wall or placed on
shelves with stored food or on the floor in these areas. These
traps should be protected from sunlight and wind during use.
DRUGSTORE BEETLE (Stegobium
paniceum) 
Food:
This insect is also a common pest of dried plant matter. It can
cause serious damage to books and preserved plant material.
Life Cycle: Females lay the eggs one-by-one in the
larval food source. The larval period lasts from four to five
months. The cocoon lasts 12 to 18 days. The complete life cycle
takes about seven months.
Trap use and Placement: This
trap is currently unavailable. Check with Insects Limited for availability in
2004.
GERMAN COCKROACH (Blattella
germanica) 
The German cockroach is 5/8 inches in length and is brown in color. There are two prominent black stripes running down the broad shield behind the head.
Food: This nasty little guy will eat almost anything - even hair and fingernails. This insect is common in areas with access to food and water (i.e. break room/bathroom).
Life
cycle: The life cycle from egg to adult takes about
a month, and populations can become huge if not kept under
control. A new pheromone trap has recently become available for
this pest.
Trap use and placement: These traps should be
placed in areas where cockroaches are likely to be encountered
concentrating on the kitchen and bathroom. The traps work best
when placed along the edges of the floor and in corners. They
also should be placed in the cabinet under the sink.
INDIANMEAL MOTH (Plodia interpunctella)
This is one of the
easiest stored food insects to identify because the adults have a
colorful appearance and the larvae (which look like yellow worms)
leave a silken webbing trail wherever they crawl. Newly emerged
adults have bi-colored (copper and tan) wings and measure about
1/2" from top to bottom.
Food: This pesky moth
will feed on many leaf materials as
as well as seeds and grains of all types.
Life Cycle:
Females lay about 200 - 400 eggs in and around potential food
sources. The eggs hatch in 6 to 10 days. The larval period lasts
from 13 to 288 days depending on the environment. The entire life
cycle occurs in 5 - 40 weeks.
Trap Use and Placement: The male
Indianmeal Moth is extremely attracted to the pheromone Bullet
Lures. No Survivor traps are hung in areas where botanicals are
stored. Traps can be hung along a wall or placed on shelves or
within drawers where herbarium storage takes place.
BOOKLOUSE ( Psocid)
Psocids or Booklice have long, filamentous antennae and a
characteristic bulging clypeus (the area just above the
mouthparts). They have chewing mouthparts and the wings of
domestic species are usually absent. They range in size from 1/25
to 1/13 of an inch (1 to 2 mm) in length. Coloration is from
almost colorless to gray or light brown.
Food:
Psocids feed upon microscopic molds. Thus, any manufactured
material of plant origin that would support the growth of these
molds is susceptible to their attack. They are found in nature on
the bark of trees and shrubs, preferring damp, warm, undisturbed
environments. In museum settings, they can commonly be found in
books and book bindings, storage boxes, paper goods and herbaria
collections.
Life Cycle: Psocids undergo simple metamorphosis to
develop to maturity. Eggs will hatch 21 days after being laid.
This nymph will reach sexual maturity in 24 to 65 days. Females
lay anywhere from 20 - 50 eggs depending on the time of year.
Their total life span is from 24 to 110 days.
Trap Use and Placement: A simple sticky
(blunder) trap is currently the best means to monitor for psocids. The trap should be a flat design (Rather than a tray
design) to allow for easy entry into the trap. Due to size of
this pest, close examination of the sticky trap is required to
accurately check for their presence.
WAREHOUSE BEETLE ( Trogoderma spp.)
This small, oval beetle is a
common pest of many types of artifacts. The adult is a tiny black
beetle with white or lightly colored markings on its back. The
larvae are orange-brown in color and look hairy. Warehouse
beetles feed primarily on animal products, but will readily feed
on grain and cereal products. The hairs of the larvae can cause
allergic reactions in sensitive individuals especially when
swallowed.
Food: This beetle is a
voracious feeder and will feed on a wide variety of items
including: seeds, dead animals, cereals, corn, corn meal, nut
meats, dried vegetables and plant material and fish meal.
Life Cycle: The life
cycle from egg to adult can be completed in 43 days, but they can
stay in diapause (hibernation) for up to two years.
Trap Use and Placement:
The male Warehouse Beetle is extremely attracted to the pheromone
Bullet Lures. No Survivor traps are hung in areas where
botanicals are stored. Traps can be hung along a wall or placed
on shelves or within drawers where herbarium storage takes place.
