[BCMA] Pest Management

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

In 1999, when I became Curator of the Kamloops Museum, I was amazed one day to discover a guy with a backpack sprayer walking through the three story museum building spraying all the baseboard areas.   He said he had a contract with the City to control spiders in the buildings and was simply doing his job as he had for many years.   Upon asking, it was discovered that the chemical he was using had been banned in the USA but was still legal in Canada.   Also, the museum staff reported that they always felt sick for a day or two after he had come through on his monthly visits, but didn't know if they should say anything because the contract had come from City Hall.   So, we negotiated with him to simply put insect traps throughout the building instead of automatically spraying, allowing him to meet his contract for doing something by inspecting them each month.   Nothing was ever discovered in the following years, and I was always amazed by the lack of spiders or any other insect anywhere in the old building.   At least the trap inspection method provided a rational approach to the need for control and would allow necessary action to be taken if needed.

You will want to learn which insects present a risk, and what risk.    Don't kill the good guys.

Cuyler Page
Heritage Interpretation Services
Box 206
Keremeos, BC  V0X-1N0


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. 
  To: bcma at lists.vvv.com 
  Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2014 3:04 PM
  Subject: [BCMA] Pest Management


  Hello,

   

  Does anyone else operate out of Historical building?  Do you have a Pest Management plan that includes the spraying of pesticides on the exterior of your building?  

   

  I have come across a wealth of information regarding the use of pesticides within the museum collection and I do not plan on ever spraying the building inside, not even the cracks and crevices if I can possibly avoid it.  I have not really been able to find anything regarding spraying the exterior of a museum building, historical or otherwise.  I understand that if there is already an infestation that the pesticides may not even reach deep enough to eradicate it, but we do not currently have an infestation that I know of.  There is, however, a lot of ant activity on the outside of the building and I would like to get rid of it before the little buggers do bore all the way into the inside.  Does anyone know if this could be damaging to my building in any way or if there are reasons why I should not do this?  Are there particular pesticides that are preferred for use in Museums?

   

  Thanks for any advice you can offer!

   

  Hazel Godley

  Manager

   

  Operated by the Mission District Historical Society

   

  Antique Appraisal & Identification Clinic

  Saturday June 7, 2014: 1-4pm

  33201 2nd Avenue, Mission BC  V2V 1J9

   

  Book Now!

  604-826-1011

  info at missionmuseum.com

  www.missionmuseum.com 

   

   



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