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=Integrated Pest Management [in Museums]= Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, refers to the set of procedures/standards implemented by cultural institutions to prevent damage to the collection by pests. A pest is considered as being any unwanted organism - animal, plant, fungus, bacteria, virus, etc. that poses a threat to the museum's collection. Museum pests come in different forms; they can be insects, mites, rodents, squirrels, birds, bats, or fungi and mold. Artifacts that are highly susceptible include: basketry, ceramics, frescoes, glass, metals, paper, paintings, stone, the structure (building itself), textile (wool/camelid, cotton), and wood (softwood, hardwood). The object itself may not be be targeted, but its housing could be. Implementing a successful and efficient IPM plan is crucial to protecting the health of a museum's collection. Without the proper IPM plan, a museum's collection is at rick for preventable dangers.

=Prevention/Implementation=

It is always better and all around easier to prevent infestations rather then treat them.

Here are some methods/procedures to implement that are considered part of an IPM plan:

1. Maintaining a sealed building envelope by:
 * Securing the interior and exterior areas of the building which helps prevent pests from entering the building and ultimately the collections.
 * Checking for exterior holes, cracks, gaps, and crevices.
 * Caulk or seal all openings found on exterior.
 * Sealing infiltration areas (cracks and gaps in foundation, windows, doors, and the roof).
 * Seal around all areas where plumping, electrical. or cable services enter building. Gaps around conduit lines, piping, and ventilation ducts are all common ways for pests to enter buildings.
 * Roofs need to drain properly. Gutters should be clear of debris and drain freely.
 * Remove any buildup of dirt and leaves from the roof and in gutters. Clogged gutters increase the chance of wood rot and water damage to exterior walls. When clogged they also fill with standing water.
 * Painting the building exterior in light colors results in much easier visual inspections for pests.

2. Checking the collection on a regular schedule, both on display and in storage for the presence of infestations.
 * Check for feeding debris or frass, exit or feeding holes, silken cocoon cases, hair falling from fur or pellets, droppings, or pupae.

3. Using small sticky traps placed in areas throughout the facility and storage units.
 * Check traps on a set schedule with any pests found being identified and recorded. Problems are immdediately addressed by isolating and treating effected objects/areas.

4. Housekeeping and vigilance are vital.
 * Dust, dirt, and food attract pests. Keep storage/exhibit/office areas clean and food-free.

5. Setting a scheduled cleaning regiment that includes sweeping, vacuuming, and emptying the trash is important to keeping spaces clean and pest free.

6. Properly control temperature and humidity in the museum environment. Low humidity and to a lesser extent low temperatures reduces the chance of pest infestation and slows down the growth of existing pest populations.

7. Training staff of IPM procedures and standards is vital to ensuring all staff are compliant and due diligent in not granting pests access to their work areas. All around compliance helps the success of an IPM program.

=If an Infestation Occurs=
 * First Step: Identify if an infestation occurs the most crucial step is identifying what the pest is and whether is it active or a past problem. Utilize the MuseumsPests.Net resources for identifying your pests. Follow these three steps when using their website:
 * Check our  MuseumPest.Net Fact Sheets – one-page white sheets with information targeted at what you need to know.
 * Search our Image Library – A reference library of pest images for use for identification and in training.
 * Go to our Identification Resources – A list of additional printed reference sources that may be useful for pest identification.


 * Once the pest has been identified and determined to be active, the appropriate method of treatment must be decided upon. Some treatments include:
 * Anoxic treatment or the elimination of oxygen from a microenvironment which deprives the pest of oxygen.
 * Isolation/Bagging
 * Low Temperature Treatment/Freezing Affected Object
 * Heat Treatment
 * Oxygen Scavenger Treatment
 * Controlled Atmosphere / Carbon Dioxide Treatment
 * Nitrogen / Argon Gas Treatment
 * Fumigation with Toxic Gases
 * Pesticide Treatment of Collections Areas
 * Chemical fumigation of museum objects is normally done in special fumigation chambers, vaults or bubbles. In severe cases, an entire building may be tented and fumigated.

=Importance=

Implementing an effective IPM plan is crucial to protecting the health of not only a museum's collection, but also its infrastructure. For more information please check out MuseumsPests.net.