freeze my herbarium

[Andrew Whittington]

Dear Taxacomers

At National Museums of Scotland we freeze fumigate all dry mounted
material that comes into the Museum, either as donated material, new
accessions or loans.  The principle is that most museum pest species
cannot tolerate the conditions to which they are subjected.  These
conditions are rapid drop in temperature to below -24 degrees Celsius
(preferably as low as -30 degrees) and maintained there for three days.
The average household chest freezer probably does not go low enough!

All material is bagged in polythene before going into the freezer, to
prevent the condensation that results when bring the specimens out, from
reaching the specimens.  Material is left in these bags until room
temperature is reached and most condensation is no longer visible.

As a support service, we do freezinging for the arts departments within
the museum and sometimes for outside agencies too.

Andy Whittington
National Museums of Scotland
Chambers Street
Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Scotland
DDI: 0131 247 4261
FAX:  0131 220 4819
aew at nms.ac.uk