protect birdskull-beacks

[Morg]

hey. what kind of vanish or something like that is best used to protect birdskulls-beaks from being damaged by vermins?
greetings and thanks!

[ravenswings1]

I have been wondering that myself, Because the beaks tend to look dry looking.  I don't like permanent lacquers, So I was thinking of trying a natural mix of beeswax and olive oil or jojoba oil. People use it as a natural polish for wood.  Here is a example,
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75627264/beeswax-wood-polish-with-organic-jojoba

I don't know about vermins destroying it, I think as long as it is defleshed and and protected in your home or better a cabinet you shouldn't have any problems.

[Morg]

i would not use any kind of oil or wax, because of vermits like moths are in nearly every flat... and i think, they would love that...
i found some eggs and a little caterpillar or maggot in one of my birdskulls beak, and it looked like it was a bit eroded (hope, you understand what i mean, my english vocabulary is not very well at all, sorry for that )
greetings.

[Voltrax]

If it was white or creamcoloured, then it was Moth caterpillar(moths are butterflies so it's called caterpillar no maggot or larvae)
Even your dermestidae will eat those beaks with gusto. I don't know any good way of protection so I won't help in that matter.

[Damon]

I have painted a very thin coating of epoxy on mine I have also used acrylic polymer. The biggest problem I find with beaks, horns and nails is Carpet Beetles. They are a species of very small dermestid with a fuzzy redish brown larvae. Carpet beetle is also the most destructive pest of Entomology collections.

[Guus]

I had actually never any damage on bird skulls so far, and I've been collecting them for almost twenty years now. I macerate most bird skulls, rinse the beak very well and take off all skin parts that stay attached sometimes. Then I sanitize them in alcohol or formaldehyde and dry them. No varnish or something like that. I think especially the formaldehyde keeps bugs from even thinking of eating them. I don't like the shiny looks of lacquer on a beak, so I'll just keep an eye on them and leave them as natural as I can. Keeping only well-cleaned skulls that don't smell in your cabinet helps as well I think, so that there are no attractive smells for bugs available.

[gavinm95]

Hey Morg, just an English tip. "Greetings" only means "hello". It's not proper to use it at the end of your sentences.

When you put it at the end, it sounds like "hope, you understand what i mean, my english vocabulary is not very well at all, sorry for that.
Hello."

Keep that in mind when writing in English!

[Morg]

thanks

[ravenswings1]

I have painted a very thin coating of epoxy on mine I have also used acrylic polymer. The biggest problem I find with beaks, horns and nails is Carpet Beetles. They are a species of very small dermestid with a fuzzy redish brown larvae. Carpet beetle is also the most destructive pest of Entomology collections.

Are these the same bugs that also get into flour and pantry items?? I hate them

[ravenswings1]

i would not use any kind of oil or wax, because of vermits like moths are in nearly every flat... and i think, they would love that...
i found some eggs and a little caterpillar or maggot in one of my birdskulls beak, and it looked like it was a bit eroded (hope, you understand what i mean, my english vocabulary is not very well at all, sorry for that )
greetings.

Like mentioned above, you can sanitize the beaks with rubbing alcohol which would probably kill any eggs aswell. Maybe keep some moth balls near your skulls. And I can understand your english fine. I wish I could speak German

[Damon]

I have painted a very thin coating of epoxy on mine I have also used acrylic polymer. The biggest problem I find with beaks, horns and nails is Carpet Beetles. They are a species of very small dermestid with a fuzzy redish brown larvae. Carpet beetle is also the most destructive pest of Entomology collections.

Are these the same bugs that also get into flour and pantry items?? I hate them

Probably not, That is most likely Grain Weevil or flower beetle. Carpet beetle is more prone to eat dead protein but it is possible they would eat pantry items if nothing else was available. Carpet beetle Imago is completely  round and has grey and brown reticulations. Flower beetle and grain weevil are black and oblong. Indian Meal Moth also like the pantry;)

[Voltrax]

Damon. You have mentioned 3 differend families of coleoptera and they CAN'T be mistaken.
"Flower beetle" is Scaraboide familie Cetoniinae subfamilie
"Wheat weevil" is Curculionidae familie Dryophthorinae subfamilie
And "Carpet beetle" is Dermestidae familie Megatominae subfamilie

[Guus]

A moth ball in your cabinet definitively does the trick as well, good that you mentioned that Ravenswings, forgot about that! Don't have any at my current place, but I have them at hand just in case.

Carpet beetles can be really nasty, here is pic of a larva (hope the link works...):



I had them once in some crabs that were badly cleaned. When you see powder under your specimens you know you are in trouble! 

[Morg]

When you see powder under your specimens you know you are in trouble!

yeah, that's the problem, and yeah, thats the animal, i meant.

so... first question: do they even eat bone, so could they damage my skulls, or do they only eat, what remained on the bone if it was not totally cleaned?

second one: how can i erase them? i've frozen the birdskulls now, think, a night at -12°C should be enough to kill 'em all... but how can i awoid, that they come back? are moth balls helpful in this case, too?

thanks a lot!

[Guus]

Yes, freezing is a good method, but only if you freeze hard and long enough and if you do it twice. After the first time freezing the eggs that are possibly laid in the skulls experience 'spring' and will start to develop. After a couple of weeks you'll have exactly the same problem. Therefore, freeze them twice for (I think) at least 3 days at -20 with a two weeks interval.

They will not start on the skull itself, but everything else is interesting for them , skin, nails, beaks, hair etc. (if not prepared correctly and even then...). Moth balls will prevent them from coming in your collection, but make sure your skulls are well cleaned and that they are placed in a cabinet you can close carefully. Fat skulls are simply not clean, even if all the meat is gone. If they are in your skull collection right now, then I'll bet they are also in your carpet, behind cabinets etc. A good cleaning of all the forgotten dusty places in the room will help a lot as well. Remember that moth balls are not really good for human beings, so avoid inhaling as much as possible and preferably place the balls inside the cabinet.