Integrated Pest Management for Collections

This two-session virtual course (spread over 2 days at 9am BST until approx. 12pm BST each day) will discuss Integrated Pest Management, Trapping and Monitoring, and how to control Insect Pests.

An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme can only be effective if there is an understanding of which insects are present and whether pest numbers are stable, increasing or decreasing. Pests can attack a wide range of materials including ethnographic, social history, textiles, furniture, paper, books and taxidermy.

The course will cover:

1/ The pests

What they need to live
How to identify the main species
Recognising the damage different pests can cause
Understanding ways to prevent pests becoming established.
2/ The importance of understanding pest environments and the need to monitor temperature and humidity.

3/ Monitoring for pests using traps.

4/ Selecting the most appropriate treatments to control pests.

5/ Making plans to establish an IPM programme.

6/ Examining available resources to help with IPM.

The course is aimed at anyone with any involvement with, or responsibility for, care of collections.