How to care for your insect art
If you notice any signs of pests inside your insect art, follow these instructions.
When an insect dies in the wild, it is assimilated back into the environment. This process is carried out by other insects called scavengers, which consume the organic matter and recycle it. Scavengers are so good at their job that they will even find the insects posed in your art piece inside your house and eat them, unaware that they are ruining a work of art. However, if you follow the simple procedure outlined below, you can protect your insects and keep them pristine for years to come!
Items you will need:
-
An airtight container large enough to fit your art piece. This can be plastic or glass. You could buy one of the containers below, or you could even use a plastic storage box that isn’t airtight and seal the top with duct tape. Just make sure that the poison won’t seep out of the container that you use.
https://www.target.com/p/sterilite-37-qt-gasket-box-clear-with-blue-latches/-/A-51872701
https://www.target.com/p/sterilite-12qt-gasket-box-clear-with-blue-latches/-/A-53159784
https://www.target.com/p/sterilite-54-qt-gasket-box-clear-with-blue-latches/-/A-15079778
- Mothballs, crystals, etc. These can be found at Amazon, hardware stores, some grocery stores, and big-box retailers.
https://www.target.com/p/old-fashioned-moth-balls-4pk/-/A-76150931#lnk=sametab
Instructions:
- Place your insect art inside your airtight container with some mothballs and leave it undisturbed for a few days. Because mothballs are toxic, exercise caution when using them and keep the container outside, away from people.
- After a few days, remove the insect art from the container and place it in a well-ventilated area until the odor has dissipated.
After this process is complete, you could keep the mothballs inside the container and label it so it is easy to find next time.
You should complete this process if you ever notice any signs of pests inside your art and at least once per year during the hotter months.
How to identify signs of pests:
As you admire the beauty of your specimens, you can also check for signs of pests, such as carpet beetles and silverfish. I have only experienced carpet beetles in my own collection, but other pests may be a problem for you. Where I live in California, the carpet beetles seem to be more active in the Spring and I have noticed them inside my displays in March, specifically.
Check for the pests themselves as well as signs that they are there. Here are some examples of carpet beetles:
And here is a silverfish:
Besides checking for these pests, you should also check for brown dust underneath your specimens or missing/disconnected body parts. Here is an example:
