Thank you everyone for the fast and helpful replies! I think you may be correct Pat that they are Webbing clothes moths rather than casemaking. I will be doing a very thorough examination of the other vulnerable objects and cleaning of the rest of the exhibit while we look into treatment options. We do not currently have access to a freezer that would be appropriate for these collection items and are exploring anoxic solutions in the meantime.
-Bekka On Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 12:43:05 PM UTC-7 p.kelley wrote: > Hi Bekka, > > Looking at your images, I believe that you have an infestation of webbing > clothes moth, *Tineola bissselliella* rather than casemaking > (casebearing) clothes moth, * Tinea pellionella*. Webbing clothes moths > *do* make pupal cases and feeding tunnels but typically cover them in > frass. We can see a bit of that frass around the picture of the case with > your moths. Also, you almost never a casemaking clothes moth larva > separated from its protective case as shown in your image. The "naked" > larva also appears to not have the telltale dark head capsule and > conspicuous dark dorsum of the first thoracic segment of a casemaking > clothes moth. > > As a test, you can take the bison hide and turn it upside down. If the > frass does not appear to fall freely from the hide, this also would suggest > webbing clothes moths. The frass usually is held together with the larval > webbing when it is a webbing clothes moth infestation. See video for > comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1JQU9SjZi4 > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1JQU9SjZi4> > Identifying clothes moth species by their frass > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1JQU9SjZi4> > The frass (excrement) produced by clothes moths allows us to identify > whether or not the species is the webbing clothes moth, Tineola > bisselliella or the casemaking clothes moth, Tinea pellionella. Hint: > Clothes moth pheromone traps available at > https://store.insectslimited.com/webbing-clothes-moths > www.youtube.com > > > Monitoring with pheromone traps will let you know if there continues to be > activity. The is no difference on the treatment for the two species though. > > Regards, > > Pat Kelley > > *Patrick Kelley, **Board Certified Entomologist* > > *Managing Director of The Center for Stored Product Protection* > > Insects Limited, Inc. > > 317-896-9300 <(317)%20896-9300> | insectslimited.com > > 20376 Commerce Park Drive Westfield, IN 46074 > > > <http://www.insectslimited.com> > *Please note our updated company address: 20376 Commerce Park Drive > Westfield, IN 46074 > <https://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&where1=20376+Commerce+Park+Dr%2C+Westfield%2C+IN+46062&FORM=BMAdIn&cp=40.084254%7E-86.107815&lvl=16.8>. > > Kindly update your records accordingly. * > > ------------------------------ > *From:* pest...@googlegroups.com <pest...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of > Voron, Joel <jvo...@cwf.org> > *Sent:* Tuesday, February 4, 2025 2:06 PM > *To:* pest...@googlegroups.com <pest...@googlegroups.com> > > *Subject:* Re: [PestList] Moth Infestation > > > CAUTION: This email originated from outside your organization. Exercise > caution when opening attachments or clicking links, especially from unknown > senders. > Also there is an entire solutions section on museumpest.net > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fmuseumpest.net&c=E,1,pYDORYwb-GgB-glDO8HTx8e-HdhNDgnO3sa5k75eOclmT4iLatwNpmfpcDLiBnJwkQ3qRnVbqwQG63dArdk1LDB2NRYUQXLXJVHLP6pvc8-JSTWrzJodnhgW&typo=1&ancr_add=1> > > to include low temperature treatment protocols. :) JTV > > Get Outlook for iOS <https://aka.ms/o0ukef> > ------------------------------ > *From:* 'bugman22' via MuseumPests <pest...@googlegroups.com> > *Sent:* Tuesday, February 4, 2025 2:01:41 PM > *To:* MuseumPests <pest...@googlegroups.com> > *Subject:* Re: [PestList] Moth Infestation > > > [CAUTION: This message originated from outside the Foundation. Do not > click links, open attachments or take action unless you know the contents > are safe] > There are many articles on freezing to kill all stages. A chest type > freezer is best. Usually 3 days at 10-20 degrees F. Look for info on line. > > Tom Parker > > On Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 01:21:58 PM EST, bord < > bo...@wildlifeart.org> wrote: > > > Hello everyone, > > I recently discovered what I believe to be a casemaking clothing moth > infestation while doing routine cleaning in an Artist Studio Exhibit. The > exhibit contains several taxidermy mounts, wool and leather clothing, and > several animal hides. > > I found frass, moth casings with live larvae and dead moths within a bison > hide and a skunk taxidermy hat- I have attached photos below of a small > portion of what was found. > > The items have been isolated and I am now seeking treatment options- has > anyone had similar infestations within animal hides that they were > successful in eliminating? Any recommendations or advice would be much > appreciated. > > Thanks, > > Bekka Ord > > Preparator > National Museum of Wildlife Art > 2820 Rungius Rd, Jackson, WY 83001 > 307-732-5412 <(307)%20732-5412> > > > > -- > 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+u...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/c667ce52-50aa-40a3-b316-f5a2e5b10072n%40googlegroups.com > > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fgroups.google.com%2fd%2fmsgid%2fpestlist%2fc667ce52-50aa-40a3-b316-f5a2e5b10072n%2540googlegroups.com%3futm_medium%3demail%26utm_source%3dfooter&c=E,1,AdPbXXss4LCOufmFxxc7pknCtDo1_uWBAHH-qN08nV_0906y5-MemQuIc9Up7jwMVbYv-z6_Ua-TsUmeuRwqDY2TjcCFNp0dSapsukfjNN_ztsA,&typo=1> > . > > -- > 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+u...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/1752664709.8414982.1738695701200%40mail.yahoo.com > > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fgroups.google.com%2fd%2fmsgid%2fpestlist%2f1752664709.8414982.1738695701200%2540mail.yahoo.com%3futm_medium%3demail%26utm_source%3dfooter&c=E,1,JwTo-uJ-rAz2vswx1bTAGFt8QjIVamA_CBKul0MFndHesdiNM5G0mTXRqGHw9QgzlMfm9ZIT6-tEQCYBzJZRKJcK0HaT6lMuM22WPEUssTcrllYVAgith6MS&typo=1> > . > > -- > 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+u...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/CH3PR20MB7304F385387C1C358765ED6FDCF42%40CH3PR20MB7304.namprd20.prod.outlook.com > > <https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fgroups.google.com%2fd%2fmsgid%2fpestlist%2fCH3PR20MB7304F385387C1C358765ED6FDCF42%2540CH3PR20MB7304.namprd20.prod.outlook.com%3futm_medium%3demail%26utm_source%3dfooter&c=E,1,IymVVTteDzy9ZELFnPs8RS7Bc1F0HNdW_b3WUAPIfI8jNqX7Z09JyA5RjXyfYJ0GNA56JAkyQEOHgw2CbFAINnMharXuahc6kDhkBU5I9xhKU51RtA4bejk,&typo=1> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MuseumPests" group. 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