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Post by luehdorfia on Dec 30, 2016 11:22:29 GMT
I just don't have enough time left to freeze all my drawers again, before I leave the collection alone for about a year. I thought about using Paradichlorobenzene just to be safe. How much would I put into one drawer? Will this somehow negatively affect specimens? Hurt the shimmering of Zygaena wings or affect colours?
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Post by Paul K on Dec 30, 2016 16:15:34 GMT
Paradichlorobenzene is perfectly safe to use and it should last to protect specimens for a year, one ball per drawer. But never ever mix together with Naphthalene. The fumes will mix and liquefied on specimens. Instead of PDB I would use dichlorvos ( no pest strip ) it is longer effective and will protect collection for more than a year. I use it as I can only check my collection every 5 months.
Paul
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Post by luehdorfia on Dec 30, 2016 16:40:40 GMT
So far I have been using Transfluthrin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfluthrin) which is used in moth stripes, and half a stripe is enough for 1 cubic metre, so in one drawer it should be heavily overdosed, but still I got pests in one drawer which is really strange.
The Dichlorvos I found is in insectsprays or as a liquid, how does the one you use look like?
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Post by nomad on Dec 30, 2016 17:00:21 GMT
Paradichlorobenzene is perfectly safe to use That chemical has been banned in the UK, because it is carcinogenic to humans.
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Post by luehdorfia on Dec 30, 2016 17:20:59 GMT
In Germany you can still order it online, quite conveniently.
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Post by bobw on Dec 30, 2016 18:24:22 GMT
Paradichlorobenzene is perfectly safe to use That chemical has been banned in the UK, because it is carcinogenic to humans. I believe it's been banned by the EU rather than the UK, but I still doubt if we'll be able to get it after Brexit. I've found PDB to be the only thing that's effective, and even then only in airtight drawers; I have a few very old drawers that are not fully airtight and I get regular outbreaks of Anthrenus in them even though I dose them with PDB on a regular basis. Fortunately PDB is still available in the States and Canada so whenever I go there I always bring back a few boxes. I can't believe it wouldn't be banned in those countries if it were truly dangerous, and I've lost so many good specimens to Anthrenus beetles in the past I'm no longer prepared to take the risk; I've had enough exposure to it over the years that if it's going to kill me the damage is probably already done. Bob
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2016 18:24:30 GMT
In answer to your question treat drawers twice a year with PDB as it evaporates quickly.
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Post by deliasfanatic on Dec 30, 2016 18:47:49 GMT
I used it years ago, but it evaporates too quickly. For many years now, I've used "no pest strips" (Vapona). They're always effective, and one can go 5-6 years before replacing them. (I've had them last much longer than that, but normally I replace them sooner to be safe.)
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Post by luehdorfia on Dec 30, 2016 19:35:02 GMT
Thanks for your answers, now I got it. At first I read: no "pest strips vapona". Can PDB react with Transfluthrin or dichlorvos? Probably better to use only one of them in a drawer
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jhyatt
Aurelian
Posts: 224
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by jhyatt on Dec 30, 2016 22:50:37 GMT
Paul K is right about mixing paradichlorobenzene and naphthalene in a single drawer. They're both fairly low-melting crystalline solids, and any mixture of the two will melt at a lower temp than the pure compounds. I don't have the data at hand to check on the melting temp of the eutectic mix (lowest-melting proportion), but I'd bet a decent specimen that it's at or below room temp - so you could get liquid in the drawer where both are used. Best to use only one fumigant per drawer. Personally I use PDCB in my better, tighter drawers, and vapona strip in the older, less tight ones.
Cheers, jh (a retired research chemist)
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Post by Paul K on Dec 31, 2016 1:01:55 GMT
Paradichlorobenzene is perfectly safe to use That chemical has been banned in the UK, because it is carcinogenic to humans. Peter, I meant perfectly safe for dead insects not for human Paul
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Post by Paul K on Dec 31, 2016 1:14:31 GMT
In answer to your question treat drawers twice a year with PDB as it evaporates quickly. True, the actual ball disappear within about 3 months, but the fumes should protect drawer longer I guess, not sure how long after though. But as I said I would rather use vapona strips if I wouldn't be able to inspect the collection frequently. Paul
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Post by cabintom on Dec 31, 2016 13:12:36 GMT
Just started using the no-pest strips in my boxes. What size should I be cutting it down to? A square cm? larger?
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Post by Paul K on Dec 31, 2016 13:22:03 GMT
Just started using the no-pest strips in my boxes. What size should I be cutting it down to? A square cm? larger? 1 square cm should be enough for drawer 50x40x6cm. I use that size as per Denny's advice .
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 31, 2016 14:04:21 GMT
When you cut the no pest strips you should use gloves, store them in a sealed container before use, and don't touch them when putting individual chunks into draws. After handling, even without actually touching them, always wash your hands thoroughly. Dichlorvos can enter the body through skin, so it is best to keep all contact with the chemical to a minimum.
Apparently the old chunks are actually more toxic to humans than fresh ones, so never touch those either.
Having given these warnings I should say that I use it in my collection, and it is definitely the best available pest preventative and killer I know.
Adam.
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