Question
QUESTION: We recently framed some dried butterflies for a customer who has returned months later as they seem to be disintegrating. Is there anything we can do to stop the rest of the butterflies being destroyed. I am guessing there is some kind of mite eating away at them. (NB she brought them in to us in a pretty poor state to begin with and we simply rearranged them into new framing, we didn't do the drying out of the butterflies.)

ANSWER: Hazel,

The damage is likely caused by dermestid beetles (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/carpet_beetle.html for a picture). These beetles are the primary destroyer of insect collections and the bane of museums. If the frame is sealed the best control is to freeze it for several days which will kill all stages of beetle. An ordinary chest freezer will work. Post a follow up if you have questions.

Jack DeAngelis



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well the frame is apart at the moment but we should put the whole thing in a freezer? it's a wood frame and the butterflies are mounted onto a board, will these bugs affect that too? should we put a mothball in the frame or anything like that after freezing?

Answer
You could assemble the frame, seal the back then freeze it to kill all stages of the beetle. Dermestids won't damage the mounting board. No mothballs. Mothballs are too toxic for this use and are not needed, freezing alone will kill the beetles (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/mothball.html for info about using mothballs).

Jack DeAngelis