Fig. 1. Conservator Cassy Cutulle works on a Native American garment.
What is meant by “moth mitigation” and why is it needed?
At the Peabody Museum, we use the phrase “moth mitigation” to describe specific activities undertaken to stop and prevent moth outbreaks.
How have we mitigated moths?
The steps below are carried out by conservators, collections assistants, and technicians who are comprehensively trained to:
- Identify the moths and where they are primarily located
- Carry out emergency measures such as containing objects and quarantining spaces to stop any potential spread.
- Disinfest objects at low temperatures (-20C to -40C) using chest, upright, and walk-in freezers.
- Clean pest debris by gently removing frass, eggs, larvae/larval casings, feeding tubes, or adult moths using magnified glasses, tweezers, brushes, and low-suction vacuums.
- Rehouse objects to prevent further access to objects by pests using non-acidic, archival materials such as blue-board, and acid-free tissue paper.
Has the project been successful?
Yes! As of February 2022, thousands of objects in this storage room have been contained and disinfested at low temperatures with very little to no moth presence, illustrating our success and progress with the project.