Assessing Collection Vulnerability

Determining which materials are most susceptible to attacks by certain pests will help make inspections more efficient, help determine which solutions are most appropriate, and inform decisions on housekeeping and other preventive measures. 

Several factors can affect the vulnerability of an item to pests. Of these, the item’s composition is most significant, but other influential factors include current condition and storage location. For example, residue from use, surface dirt, stains (particularly food or sweat) and high moisture content can encourage infestation. Collections may also be vulnerable because of their location history. For example, new acquisitions and returned loans may carry pests into a collection. Collections that were previously infested are likely to be vulnerable to recurring or new infestations. Previous infestations should be documented and these collections should be monitored.

Pests generally prefer warm, dark, undisturbed areas to live and reproduce. In collections this can include the undersides of carpets, within seams and linings of textiles, backs of paintings, and closed drawers. Within buildings these areas can include corners, basements, behind walls, below floorboards, within dropped ceilings and duct work. Collections stored near or in these areas are particularly vulnerable, as are collections stored next to pest attractants such as packing materials (cardboard), garbage, food preparation and storage areas. Touring exhibitions and loan objects are also at risk of pest issues.

Case Studies

• The Yale Peabody Museum determined the vulnerability of their collection in Integrated Pest Management Challenges in a Retrofitted Building, by Lynn A. Jones and Raymond J. Pupedis, Collection Forum Spring 2011, Vol. 25:1-2, Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections.
• Emily Schuetz Stryker’s Investigation into Preferential Insect Damage of an 18th Century Quilt, details a case study at the Winterthur Museum’s collection where researchers noted preferential insect damage based on color on wool whole cloth quilts.
• Suzanne Ryder et al.‘s Tineola bisselliella at the Natural History Museum, London discusses certain taxidermy displays which were consistently infested with clothes moths.

Below is information sorted by material type to help protect your collection against pest damage. However, it should be remembered that not all items are suitable for treatment so if you are unsure about the most appropriate treatment or solution for your object you should contact a conservator for advice. Never treat a parcel on behalf of someone else without knowing for sure what it contains. Visual inspection should be a minimum requirement to all incoming material as a preventive measure. Vulnerable materials are found in many types of collections. These materials include:

Updated 2025