Nancy -
You are correct - carpet beetle larvae did this.
Tom Parker
-Original Message-
From: Jenner, Nancy@Parks
To: pestlist@googlegroups.com
Sent: Fri, Jan 21, 2022 11:48 am
Subject: [PestList] Frass and damage on horn button
#yiv2630696620 P
HI Nancy,
I have to be the devil’s advocate and ask if you’re sure that it’s the button
that the frass if from? A dermestid’s frass usually is the color of what it’s
fed on. I realize that the button has been fed upon or damaged in some way,
however it looks more as if a mouse nibbled at it
Thank you Tania!
Unfortunately, the bag is not numbered, and I have not as yet connected it to
any provenience information.I think it may have been a protective cover for
another object (the bag is oddly shaped, and appears to have been custom made
to hold something like a pipe). If so,
Hi Nancy,
Do you know approximately how old the button is? Casein, a milk protein,
was used to make buttons in the early 20th century. I am guessing that
casein might be vulnerable to dermestid attack as well as horn.
Tania
Tania Collas
Head of Conservation
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
