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Post by obiwankenobi55555 on Jun 8, 2015 19:10:06 GMT
You don't use liquid oil in the drawer. Instead, you place drops of oil on cork pieces, then pin the cork into the drawer. However....I cannot recommend cedar oil as a pesticide, based on my previous comments (above). Shortly after I began using it, I found a live dermestid larva in a drawer with cedar oil. I immediately stopped using it and returned to Vapona strips. Thank you for answer. Yes I have read everything in this thread and I'm informed about this cedar oil. But I have cabinets in my room and I want to avoid chemical usage because I'm started worried about my health. So I'm want to start using oils on natural basis... What to use then? lavender, tee tree oils which is x4 stronger...I don't have any idea.
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Post by Paul K on Jul 3, 2015 4:08:31 GMT
I installed Vapona strips today to all my drawers. The question is : for how long they would be effective and protect the collection . How many months they are active?
Paul
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Post by deliasfanatic on Jul 3, 2015 13:27:35 GMT
How large is the piece of Vapona? I used to use the larger pieces wrapped in plastic (10 x 2.5 cm), cutting them in half for use. They last at least 5 years in a drawer. Recently I began using the small pieces that are sold with 500 pieces in a bag (about 2.5 x 1.25 cm); I plan to use those for 3 years. After removal from the drawer, there is still use remaining: I gather them together and use them in bins of papered specimens (I add 5-6 pieces to each bin).
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Post by Paul K on Jul 3, 2015 14:00:17 GMT
I cut big strip for about 1cm x 2.5cm so I guess they should work for at least 2 years , should they ?
Paul
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Post by deliasfanatic on Jul 3, 2015 14:08:52 GMT
Yes, that should be fine.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jul 3, 2015 16:54:06 GMT
Small chunks of Vapona about 1cm sq. kill insects in the draw for several months, and still act as a deterrent for many years. The most important preventative is to ensure that any specimens that you put in your draws are already pest free. Pests in your collection room will not enter draws with old Vapona chunks in them, but they may not die if you put an infected specimen in the draw.
WARNING:
1. Do not touch the Vapona strips with bare hands when cutting the strips into pieces or when putting them into the draws. The chemicals in Vapona are absorbed through the skin on contact. For safety always wash your hands thoroughly after doing anything with the Vapona chunks, new or old, even if you haven't touched them.
2. The liquid that exudes from old Vapona chunks is MORE poisonous than the fresh Vapona, so make sure that you NEVER touch it with your hands. If you use the old chunks (as I also do) in the papered specimen boxes beware that the sticky residue in the bottom of the box is poisonous. It is best to make sure that the chunks are at the bottom, so they don't leave residue on the envelopes.
Adam.
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Post by deliasfanatic on Jul 3, 2015 17:16:41 GMT
Yes, agreed, the liquid is very toxic. I put the old Vapona pieces into an envelope (using forceps, not touching them) before I place them into the papered specimens' bins. I only handle any pieces, old or new, with forceps.
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Post by Paul K on Jul 3, 2015 22:26:38 GMT
Adam, you said the liquid discharge from old Vapona strips. I placed the strips on insect pin so they are not in contact with pining bottom or wood. Is that safe or liquid may transfer on the foam below ?
Paul
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jul 3, 2015 23:01:20 GMT
Normally it is just a small amount of liquid on the surface of the Vapona chunk, but I can imagine that in high humidity there may be more liquid than in dry conditions. I don't think that it would run down the pin onto the foam unless the draw was moved sharply.
Adam.
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Post by mikelock34 on Jul 4, 2015 4:32:44 GMT
Bengal roach spray. I am not kidding. Great stuff.
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enry
New Aurelian
Posts: 23
Country: Italy
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Post by enry on Jul 12, 2015 19:19:32 GMT
I had some serious problems with a coleoptera collection some years ago...the dermestids started with a little drawer turning the cetoniidae and the lucanidae into brown-black dust!....when the "invaders" began to eat my Ornithoptera collection(fortunately not causing big damages) i was really angry.. and after acetone injections and others I tried camphor....well.... in two three months the parasites disappeared and since then, NEKATARM camphor is the best parasite-killer for me....
Enry
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Post by Paul K on Jul 26, 2015 17:05:20 GMT
I wonder if someone is using thymol as a protection against mould and also as pest control. Any feedback?
Paul
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Post by nomad on Aug 24, 2015 12:37:53 GMT
I thought you should read this especially if you are using the new Zenzect Balls to deter pests. Many thanks to Piers, hopefully Piers will soon be a member. I also believe Naphthalene will not kill Dermestes beetles but it certainly deters them, fingers crossed, as I still use this.
Peter - I reared some Dermestes lardarius (under extremely secure conditions..!!) in order, in part, to experiment with Zensect, knowing that the genus are renowned for being particularly hardy.
To cut a long story short, several generations of D. lardarius were reared through on organic material) in an air-tight container containing several zensect balls. The beetles stopped short of actually eating the balls themselves, but they certainly were not in the least bit perturbed by their presence.
The larvae are voracious and develop at speed in suitable conditions. The female will lay in the presence of a suitable food source, not necessarily on it (such as where a draw lid meets the draw itself) and the tiny larvae can negotiate very tight spaces.
The offspring of just one female could wreak havoc in just a few weeks.
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Post by nomad on Aug 24, 2015 12:42:06 GMT
P.S. The last post may be so nervous, I am off upstairs to check my cabinet drawers.
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Post by Admin on Aug 24, 2015 12:43:02 GMT
I am using them without any issue for the moment. But I will check my collection next week end, thank you for the warning.
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