Dear all, I hope someone can help me with any known bibliography. Here in Peru a lot of conservators make packets of clove and black peppercorns (not essential oils, but the actual cloves and pepper in little bags and placed next to objects inside boxes) because they say they have deterrent properties. From personal experience and observation, this does not look like it works to me at all. I have opened various boxes with said packets where sensitive objects have been devoured. Could this be because the active repellent chemical isn't concentrated enough in these natural forms?
I have not been able to find any actual experiments or scientific papers testing these two (not the oils, but the cloves and the peppercorns) and showing insect repellence or anti-feeding properties. At the very least, the *Tricorynus herbarius* I have all over don't look like they could be any less bothered. Are you aware of any studies? This said, some items being infested at the moment are human remains in mummy bundle form. This is mainly because there is vegetable fibre basketry, corn cobs and dried gourd plates inside the bundles with the individual. Has anybody frozen similar bundles before due to insects? Thank you very much for any pointers! All the best, Angelica Pachacamac Museum Peru -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MuseumPests" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to pestlist+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/CAAJvYjVPEns2paABh%3Dw-tqz--WHixjVgJOnRj0-VLCBhQyTgsw%40mail.gmail.com.
