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Controlling Pests



I'm hoping someone can help me.

The building that houses the Archives of the college were I work is out
in the country and thus fairly isolated, and was infested with cluster
flies this past fall, winter, and spring.  Since the Archives holds an
extensive collection of artwork on canvas, as well as many other
significant paper-based collections going back 200 years, I became very
concerned about the damage done to the collection by fly droppings, dead
bodies, and other contamination.  I ended up hanging sticky fly paper
strips in every window upstairs and in several windows downstairs.  That
seemed to do the trick, but the arrival of warm weather was probably
what finally ended the invasion.  While doing some research into how to
prevent another outbreak this fall, I came across a site set up by the
Virginia Cooperative Extension that recommends spraying the outside of
the house with synthetic pyrethroids.  I did some searching, and the
chemical seems to be fairly safe to humans if it's not ingested.  One
site said, "Dermal contact may result in skin irritation such as
stinging, burning, itching, and tingling progressing to numbness," but
I'm not planning on rolling around in it.

I also have a groundhog living under the back steps.  I've become
surprisingly attached to it, and worry about the effect on him/her.  I
could have it trapped and removed.

Now I have two questions.  Does anyone know if those sticky fly paper
strips have any fumes or other side effects?  They say they don't, but I
don't believe everything I read. 

Secondly, would you take the risk of spraying the building with
chemicals since the flies can't be prevented using any other means?
They come inside through tiny cracks and openings that are impossible to
find and plug.  And they were horrible:  think of Hitchcock's The Birds,
only with flies.

Thanks for any suggestions, advice, etc.

Rebecca Fitzgerald, CA
Mt. St. Mary's Archives & Dept. of Special Collections
Mt. St. Mary's College & Seminary
Emmitsburg, MD
301/447-5397
301/447-6868 (fax)
rfitzger@msmary.edu

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