# Moth Mitigation August 08, 2019 - [ Blog ](/news-categories/blog) ![Gloved hand on fur](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation1.jpg?itok=pJffskGd) Staff at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology are diligently working to mitigate a webbing clothes moth (*Tineola bisselliella*) infestation discovered in June of 2016 in the largest ethnographic artifact storage room in the historic museum building. ![Brown fur coat with moth damage circled in red](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/peabody/files/mothsoncoat.png?itok=GhrARqed) Our immediate response to discovering the infestation entailed quarantining spaces and utilizing an air-lock system for doorways as well as bagging and freezing objects. Emergency response measures included an updated interior and exterior Integrated Pest Management (IPM) building survey conducted with an entomologist, followed by corrective actions on each museum floor, designed to tighten the building and rooms, such as wall repairs, upgrading door sweeps and caulking of leaks and holes. ![Artifact inside a box, bagged in a zipper plastic bag](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/peabody/files/mothmitigation12.jpg?itok=-sCL6hUg) Pest monitoring, an ongoing part of the museum’s overall IPM program, continued; and a focused mitigation project with the goals of examining and treating the objects affected, was initiated. Once additional staff members were hired and project details organized, a formal ‘moth mitigation project’ began in earnest in Autumn 2017. ![Woman in lab coat cleaning a hide jacket](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation5.jpg?itok=a46Oarkb) Critical to the success of the mitigation was the writing of project proposals and manuals. These documents served as valuable tools, allowing staff to clearly define the parameters of the project while giving a broad view of the work to be done and supplies needed. The documents communicated details regarding project organization, timeline and deliverables to senior administration. Additionally, these proposals were used to secure necessary funding. ![Printouts of project manuals](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation2.jpg?itok=M25P2WHT) So, what does a moth mitigation project entail? Here at the Peabody Museum, our approach includes object containment and freezing to eradicate live pests and to prevent the spread of moths that may reside on or within the objects. This work was followed by an examination of each object to assess the condition of the objects post-infestation. Cleaning, additional conservation treatments and rehousing are also undertaken to ensure the objects’ long-term stability. ![Two people in lab coats sitting at a table cleaning objects](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation6.jpg?itok=LCN3fL8F) After nearly two years of hard work, the team is excited and eager to share their progress and methodology for moth mitigation in wider arenas such as at the recent annual meeting of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) as well as this blog post. While at AIC, the team presented a paper titled, “Approaches to Preservation in the Aftermath of a Webbing Clothes Moth Infestation: The Peabody Museum Mitigation Project”, which represented the joint working process of Cassy Cutulle, Matthew Vigneau, Khanh Nguyen, Lindsay Koso, and Mollie Denhard. The presentation offered a comprehensive overview of the different tasks carried out before and during the moth mitigation project, including: emergency response, project management, training, documentation, and the object treatment work undertaken. Relevant case studies were provided to illustrate our moth mitigation methodology in practice. While our approach to the infestation is unique to the Peabody Museum building and situation, we share some of our learned experiences and constructive takeaways in the hopes that we can offer useful advice to other museum professionals in similar predicaments. ![Person sitting at desk cleaning hide boots](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation7.jpg?itok=3KXsH7n5) We have made a lot of progress in the last 18 months, passing the half-way milestones in our goals for freezing and cleaning objects. With this progress logged and the success of our hard work, the moths’ days at the Peabody Museum are surely numbered! ![Bar graph](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation9.jpg?itok=sA7h4fFu) *Author: Cassy Cutelle, Conservation Technician* --- Attachments- [ image blogmothmitigation2.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation2.jpg) - [ image blogmothmitigation1.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation1.jpg) - [ image blogmothmitigation3.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation3.jpg) - [ image blogmothmitigation5.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation5.jpg) - [ image blogmothmitigation4.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation4.jpg) - [ image blogmothmitigation7.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation7.jpg) - [ image blogmothmitigation8.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation8.jpg) - [ image blogmothmitigation6.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation6.jpg) - [ image blogmothmitigation9.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation9.jpg) - [ image blogmothmitigation11.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation11.jpg) - [ image blogmothmitigation12.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation12.jpg) - [ image blogmothsoncoat.png ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothsoncoat.png) - [ image blogmothmitigation10.jpg ](/sites/g/files/omnuum4921/files/peabody/files/blogmothmitigation10.jpg) --- Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)