Bug Trappers
If you visit the studio, you might notice some small, white, triangular paper forms scattered throughout the studio. Upon closer inspection, you’ll see that each one is labeled with the date it was placed and its specific location in the studio and that there is a sticky pad on the interior. So, what’s the deal?
Well, these objects are what we call sticky traps, and we use them as part of our integrated pest management system. To begin to understand why we have sticky traps placed throughout the studio, let’s start by first explaining integrated pest management (IPM), and why it is important in a conservation studio.
Fig. 1 Sticky trap
What is IPM?
IPM is, as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a science-based decision-making process that combines biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools and strategies. This is used to identify and manage pests in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks. For more definitions and explanations of IPM, check out the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Center for Disease Control’s National Center for Environmental Health, and the National Park Service. As you can see, IPM is important to and practiced by a lot of different industries and organizations. It is also something you can, and most likely, do on a personal level to control pests in your living environment.
What is considered a pest?
Pests, to us, are everything and anything that could damage the artworks in the studio, in addition to the fact that they could also have adverse effects on the staff’s health, too. Most of the time we are talking about insects and rodents, but the term also covers things like mold and other fungal growths. For an even more specific example, small birds might become pests to the studio if they manage to nest in the exterior vent grate of the studio’s fume exhaust system. This is something we actually look out for, by the way.
IPM at Flux Art Conservation
We practice IPM in the Flux Art Conservation studio in order to protect the artworks in the studio. Our IPM system is preventative, long-term, and low toxic, and it consists of a plan that includes multiple methods of pest reductions. We monitor for pests to help determine the current pest populations, conduct regular inspections, practice good housekeeping, and work to prevent pests from entering the studio. The studio’s IPM plan has four goals:
Protect the studio and artworks stored in it from pests;
Provide greater control and knowledge of pest activity in the studio;
Implement IPM as a studio-wide practice in which all staff participate in a coordinated effort;
Avoid the use of chemical pesticide applications, increase the use of the least-toxic and/or non-toxic approaches, and decrease the health risks to staff and artwork.
The sticky traps in the studio are one of the ways we monitor for pests . As you can guess from the name, the cardboard triangles have a non-drying sticky substance on the interior upon which insects get stuck after walking inside the trap. The sticky substance is non-toxic to humans and does not release any chemicals that would be harmful to the artwork. Some people also use different attractants inside their sticky traps to attract specific pests, but we do not use any attractants.
Fig. 3 Used sticky bug trap.
The sticky traps are strategically placed in corners, near doors, vents, and other potential entry points for pests. Staff then regularly checks the traps, recording all pests found both inside and outside the traps in a pest monitoring chart, if there are any. The recording and documentation is an incredibly important aspect of the trapping and monitoring process. It helps to provide us with baseline information on what pests we do see in the conservation studio and when, how pests got into the studio, where they are in the studio, and if the implemented control strategies are working. The goal is that through trapping and monitoring, in addition to all the other preventative measures we regularly take, that we never have an infestation in the studio. We are happy to report that, so far, thanks to our efforts, that is exactly the case.
The last thing we want to touch on is why we specifically want to use the least-toxic and/or non-toxic approaches to pest control in the studio. First and foremost, pesticides can be hazardous to the staff’s health, so we try to avoid using them at all costs for the safety of the studio’s staff and visitors. We also avoid using pesticides because they can cause damage to the artworks stored in the studio, such as metal corrosion, the deterioration of paper, staining, and color changes in the artworks’ dyes and pigments.
Why IPM matters
Sticky traps might be little in size, but they play a large role in our IPM plan and procedures as a preventative measure. To quote Ben Franklin, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and that is definitely the case when it comes to pests, the damage they can cause, and the expensive and timely methods of their eradication. If you are looking to use a conservator in the future, do not be afraid to ask them about their IPM plan and procedures, as it is an essential aspect of running a good conservation studio and following the code of ethics set forth by the AIC.
For more information about IPM and pests, you can visit the following sources:
● Integrated Pest Management page on the American Institute for Conservation’s Wiki
● Chapter 5: Biological Infestations in the National Park Service’s Museum Handbook, Part I: Museum Collections
● National Park Service’s Conserve O Gram Number 3/7 Monitoring Insect Pests With Sticky Traps
● National Park Service’s Conserve O Gram Number 3/8 Controlling Insect Pests: Alternatives to Pesticides
