Thanks so much, both Karen & Stephan. The wax resin plug notion does make sense - we wondered if it could just be something fairly benign filling bore holes and that this seems a pattern with other pieces is interesting to note.
Much appreciated, Maria On Friday, February 1, 2019, Karen French <kfre...@thewalters.org> wrote: > This is likely to be an old infestation. If there are old tunnels and > damaged wood, when the piece is moved around vibrations shake some of the > old frass and detritus loose. This happens fairly frequently with a few of > our older pieces. An older method for “fixing” bore holes used to be to > plug them with a wax-resin mix, could that be what some of your pellets are > and they have shaken out? > > > > *From:* pestlist@googlegroups.com <pestlist@googlegroups.com> *On Behalf > Of *Fusco, Maria > *Sent:* Friday, February 01, 2019 12:22 PM > *To:* pestl...@museumpests.net; pestlist@googlegroups.com > *Subject:* [pestlist] Id help: Frass and other un'id substance > > > > Hello all, > > > > Hoping someone with more expertise in wood boring insects can offer > thoughts. We have an external loan in, a painting on canvas within a glazed > frame. Our registrar noted what seem to be older bore holes in the frame > and found detritus both in between the glass of the frame and the canvas as > well as underneath the painting in its travel crate. > > > > We've not found live insects but the detritus appears to be frass and some > hard pellets (~5mm long, ~2mm diameter). Before examination, we wondered if > the pellets could be dessicated larvae but they look more like adhesive > plugs and we don't note any larval shapes, body parts inside. > Images attached. Apologies if they're not great, we're in process on a > microscope upgrade. Does this cry out anything to anyone? > > > > Many thanks, > > Maria > > > > -- > > Maria Fusco > > *Chief Conservator* > > *Margaret Wing Dodge Chair in Conservation* > > Foggy Bottom: 701 21st Street, NW > <https://maps.google.com/?q=Foggy+Bottom:+701+21st+Street,+NW+%E2%80%A2+Washington,+DC+20052&entry=gmail&source=g> > • Washington, DC 20052 > <https://maps.google.com/?q=Foggy+Bottom:+701+21st+Street,+NW+%E2%80%A2+Washington,+DC+20052&entry=gmail&source=g> > > Avenir Center: 44930 Knoll Square > <https://maps.google.com/?q=44930+Knoll+Square+%E2%80%A2+Ashburn,+VA+20147&entry=gmail&source=g> > • > <https://maps.google.com/?q=44930+Knoll+Square+%E2%80%A2+Ashburn,+VA+20147&entry=gmail&source=g> > Ashburn, VA 20147 > <https://maps.google.com/?q=44930+Knoll+Square+%E2%80%A2+Ashburn,+VA+20147&entry=gmail&source=g> > > > 571-553-0278 • fus...@gwu.edu • museum.gwu.edu > [image: Image removed by sender.] > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Museumpests" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to pestlist+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to pestlist@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/pestlist. > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/ > msgid/pestlist/CAO0UmvWps4brY9JCvnGGdbn36c%3DBydLy6d0XpGkqLiMatbu%2B2A% > 40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/CAO0UmvWps4brY9JCvnGGdbn36c%3DBydLy6d0XpGkqLiMatbu%2B2A%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Museumpests" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to pestlist+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to pestlist@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/pestlist. > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/ > msgid/pestlist/70f22e74367b454883fda67c173a5f07%40thewalters.org > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/70f22e74367b454883fda67c173a5f07%40thewalters.org?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Maria Fusco *Chief Conservator* *Margaret Wing Dodge Chair in Conservation* Foggy Bottom: 701 21st Street, NW • Washington, DC 20052 Avenir Center: 44930 Knoll Square • Ashburn, VA 20147 571-553-0278 • fus...@gwu.edu • museum.gwu.edu -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Museumpests" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to pestlist+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to pestlist@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/pestlist. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/CAO0UmvWA8i1LC0zPDhfiT51wa7r8mQ%3D8OfXJifxzL-MbO3jZ_g%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.