Things That Go Crawling

Over a million known species of arthropods worldwide means they are of the most diverse group of organisms alive. These small creatures range from spiders to bees to centipedes. A variety of them make their way into the Cable Natural History Museum in rain or shine, yet particularly under the heat of the summer sun. Unlike human visitors, these unwanted creatures present a distinct danger to our specimens as they crawl in from the outside world. 

A variety of spiders, millipedes, ants, and beetles often
make their way onto 29 strategically placed stick traps.

Arthropods account for a majority of museum pests. These are organisms with exoskeletons, segmented bodies, paired jointed appendages, and include insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and myriapods. Other possible pests, while not common here, may include rodents, bats, or birds. Because they can pose a threat, arthropods are regularly monitored with the use of sticky traps. One look at a carefully placed sticky trap may show the great variety in shapes and sizes of our small visitors. With just a bit of understanding, museum staff assess what type of danger is posed when certain pests become present. 

Some common museum pests in Cable include silverfish, spiders, ants, and pillbugs. We know this because a number of sticky traps are placed and checked bi-monthly throughout the facility. Staff gather traps and record numbers of each pest present in order to facilitate an integrated pest management plan. While it can be entertaining to look closely at the mosaic of tiny pests, a curator always hopes to recover as many empty traps as possible. 

A close-up view of a centipede's head among many
tiny, undetermined arthropods found on a trap
near a worm compost bin.

What else can be found in those traps? Commonly known arthropods, like beetles, ants, bees, and flies, often find occasion to enter the Museum. Summer months bring higher volumes of visitors to the building, and with them pests. Doors swing open and closed frequently and heat can expand entryways to hold doors ajar. Imagine the world of possibilities that open up for a troop of small ants. Leftover foods and sweet drinks often attract these types of pests, but others may desire something more valuable--something such as a museum specimen. 

Silverfish scurry into museums and homes with silvery scales and small, distinct tails. Harmless to humans, silverfish have tough stomachs that allow them to eat materials such as book bindings and paper, photos, dead insects, and clothes. Their diet makes them particularly unwanted in places such as museums. 

Perhaps most notorious are the larder beetles. These Dermestids feed on dry animal or plant material. Furs, textiles, feathers, leather, and wool can all be found here and provide an excellent source of food for larder beetles. Consequently, this beetle in both its larval and adult stage poses a significant risk if found within the building. Few have been observed here, but staff keep a sharp eye out for either. 

Regularly monitoring for pests provides an early and imperative step for future pest prevention. Staff work hard to keep the building welcoming for our human visitors, and unfavorable for pests. Sticky traps are part of that preventative action. An in-depth observation reveals so much--a physical record of the tiny yet significant risks to our valuable specimens, or a diversity of arthropodal creatures arranged like a mosaic on a sticky canvas.