Starting a Myxo Herbarium - Questions.

[Lancashire Lad]

It is becoming increasingly obvious to me that I need to start up a personal herbarium of collected myxo specimens.

To date, I've just been collecting things, keeping them randomly in small plastic pots, doing the microscopy as and when, and eventually throwing out the remaining un-needed material.

I'm now discovering the error of my ways, as several times recently, it would have been useful to compare newer finds with previously studied material.

So - From now on I intend to keep things - propery organised - ad infinitum!

I'm tempted to make use of some of those plastic flip lid / multi compartment pill holder boxes.
They are very inexpensive, they take up very little room, each small compartment would easily hold enough "voucher" material and each lid could be given a reference number that could be cross referenced to a database holding the details for the particular sample.

Alternatively, small paper envelopes could be used - similarly numbered and cross referenced. But I'm thinking might have the possible disadvantage of damaging delicate specimens.

Any thoughts on the above? - Or alternative storage schemes being used.

Also, any thoughts regarding the need or otherwise for taking definite measures to keep the material perfectly dry/insect proof?

The room where they would be stored is covered by the central heating, and the possibility of anything becoming affected by mould etc. would be extremely unlikely.

But would there be any real potential for insect infestation? (Don't want the house full of creepy crawlies!!!). If so - what would be the best way (insecticide? what type?) of minimising such risk.

Regards,
Mike.

[Kevin Lawson]

Hello Mike,

A first I was discarding all material after examination/identification, but for the last two years I have been storing dried material. After trying various types of containers, I have found that empty match boxes are ideal. The specimen (on its substrate) is glued onto a piece of card that is folded so that it just fits the bottom and comes up either end of the so that it can be easily removed. The specimen number, species, and date are recorded on the card. A label can then be made and stuck onto the matchbox with the same information. Matchboxes are cheap, the specimen is protected, can be easily removed for examination, and they do not take up too much room.

Before storing the matchbox in my herbarium (the bottom section of a small cupboard in a corner of the living room – thanks to an understanding wife), I put it in the freezer for a couple of days to kill off any bugs etc. I have not had any problems with moulds or insects eating the specimens so far.

Regards,
Kevin

[Lancashire Lad]

Thanks for the suggestions Kevin.

If I recall correctly, your method is very similar to that recommended in Bruce Ing's book.

I'll keep that in mind if I can find a reliable source for matchboxes.

Hadn't considered freezing to kill off any pests but it sounds lik a good idea. - I assume that you'd first put the matchboxes in a plastic container or bag to avoid taking up any dampness during freezing/thawing?

Regards,
Mike.

[Marja]

Hi,

I use any paperboxes available including candy-, cigarette- and even teaboxes for bigger specimens (some barks may be guite big...) and matchboxes, too.
I put a piece of sticker on the box with specimen data (species, collection date, place, possible collection number for specimes, that I have taken to the local university or elsewhere).
I put them in bigger blastic containers.

I know, that insects may cause some trouble. In herbariums they put specimens to freezer for a couple of weeks! I plan to carry my box containers out for some weeks, when it is cold enough.

I should keep better catalog of my specimens and will do that given some time.
However I have a book, where I write down macro- and microdata. What I should do is use a field number for every collection and write it down to that book and use at least that in the label sticker, too. Maybe there should be also a reference to macro and microphotos.

Being able to compare specimen is really essential. Just that some times it seems, that even that won't help you a bit For instance the capillitium of Trichias seems sometimes to be so varying, that you get only a dubious determination...

Marja