RE: [pestlist] detecting woodborers

[Pine, Steve]

I agree with Tom but want to add to the subject of freezing furniture.  Of the 
dozens of furniture conservators I know I’m unaware of any that recommend 
freezing.  They prefer anoxia.  The complexity of issues of differences in 
thermal expansion and contraction of disparate (and aged) materials that Tom 
refers to are a major concern.  Add to that gilding, painted surfaces, modern 
materials like PU foam and so many other concerns associated with trying to 
control condensation buffering during the cycling below and above freezing and 
it is just too risky to recommend generally.  There will be the odd ladder back 
chair and simple chest that can get through it without noticeable trouble and I 
think that encourages the continued perception in some quarters that furniture 
freezing is safe.

Steve

 

Steven L. Pine
Decorative Arts Conservator
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
P.O. Box 6826
Houston, TX 77265
sp...@mfah.org 

 

 

 

From: pestlist-ow...@museumpests.net [mailto:pestlist-ow...@museumpests.net] On 
Behalf Of bugma...@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010 5:18 AM
To: pestlist@museumpests.net
Subject: Re: [pestlist] detecting woodborers

 

Katie -

 

PPB's usually go through a one or two-year life cycle, depending on the 
species.  They leave small, round exit holes.  They are not like some of the 
structural, long-horned beetles, which may take up to 10-13 years to emerge as 
adults.  These beetles leave large, usually oval exit or flight holes. Some 
have used portable x-ray units to find them in furniture.  Injection of the 
exit or flight holes with a pesticide is not a logical approach for the beetles 
have already emerged.  In my career working with museums and conservators, most 
furniture and objects can be successfully frozen without harm to the piece.  
One should not freeze inlaid or parquet pieces, because of the dimensional 
problems previously mentioned.

 

Tom Parker

 

-Original Message-
From: Hugh P. Glover 
To: pestlist@museumpests.net
Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 11:42 pm
Subject: Re: [pestlist] detecting woodborers

Katie
If you are going to listen for these borers then late spring/early summer may 
be best time. Amplified, digitized, and recorded sound of their activity has 
been described in a recent WAG paper by a French person, and not yet 
online/published. Listening can help monitor, but not solve the problem. Is 
your issue with wood beams (structural) or decorative material?
Hugh Glover. WACC

On Fri, May 21, 2010 at 5:05 PM,  wrote:

With training a stethoscope can be used. You need to discern background noise 
from insect sounds. Most of us have lazy ears.

 

Freezing and warming cycles are not good for wood Art, specially mixed media. 
Mixed media has different contraction rates, does not respond well to dramatic 
temperature change. Some will say they did it without consequences, may be 
luck. You need to understand the risk and how much you are willing to gamble.

 

CO2 measurements can be obtained down to parts per billion. You can use this 
method to monitor one insect in an object. It does take time and experience. 
With newly developed equipments times have been cut to a few hours. Ten years 
ago almost 8 hours on a FTIR.

With good equipment a CO2 analyzer balanced with a O2 analyzer can offer some 
results without an FTIR.

 

Bill

ACI

 

In a message dated 5/21/2010 4:42:41 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, 
bugma...@aol.com writes:

 

Katie -

 

Hydrogen phosphide is not a good penetrator of wood for control of 
ppbs.  If the items are small a freezing process, followed by a warming, then 
plunging the materials again into freezing will elimiinate active infestations 
in wood.

 

The first time do it at -20 degress F for 72 hours; then warm the 
object up to room temperature, then freeze 'em again for 3 days at -20 degress 
F.  Your problem will be elimanated.

 

Tom Parker

 

-Original Message-
From: Katie Fisher 
To: pestlist@museumpests.net 
Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 2:02 pm
Subject: [pestlist] detecting woodborers

Hi, 

 

My name is Katie Fisher and I’m the new Pest Control Technician at the 
Glenbow Museum. I just wanted to ask a somewhat out-there question regarding 
the detection of wood borers… this museum has been battling Powderpost Beetles 
for quite a while. Every 5 or so years a new wave will appear, a large-scale 
treatment process will happen (phosphene), but it just doesn’t seem to be 
effective in getting rid of the Powderpost population. 

 

Since it takes years for them to exit the wood, I feel like I’m 
somewhat just twiddling my thumbs in the meantime, wondering if the last 
treatment did the trick. A friend suggested that I might be able to use a 
stethoscope to hear the larva inside the wood… does anyone do this, to detect 
woodborers? Does anyone think it would

Re: [pestlist] detecting woodborers

[bugman22]

Katie -


 


PPB's usually go through a one or two-year life cycle, depending on the species.  They leave small, round exit holes.  They are not like some of the structural, long-horned beetles, which may take up to 10-13 years to emerge as adults.  These beetles leave large, usually oval exit or flight holes. Some have used portable x-ray units to find them in furniture.  Injection of the exit or flight holes with a pesticide is not a logical approach for the beetles have already emerged.  In my career working with museums and conservators, most furniture and objects can be successfully frozen without harm to the piece.  One should not freeze inlaid or parquet pieces, because of the dimensional problems previously mentioned.


 


Tom Parker








-Original Message-
From: Hugh P. Glover 
To: pestlist@museumpests.net
Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 11:42 pm
Subject: Re: [pestlist] detecting woodborers



Katie
If you are going to listen for these borers then late spring/early summer may be best time. Amplified, digitized, and recorded sound of their activity has been described in a recent WAG paper by a French person, and not yet online/published. Listening can help monitor, but not solve the problem. Is your issue with wood beams (structural) or decorative material?
Hugh Glover. WACC



On Fri, May 21, 2010 at 5:05 PM,  wrote:





With training a stethoscope can be used. You need to discern background noise from insect sounds. Most of us have lazy ears.


 


Freezing and warming cycles are not good for wood Art, specially mixed media. Mixed media has different contraction rates, does not respond well to dramatic temperature change. Some will say they did it without consequences, may be luck. You need to understand the risk and how much you are willing to gamble.


 


CO2 measurements can be obtained down to parts per billion. You can use this method to monitor one insect in an object. It does take time and experience. With newly developed equipments times have been cut to a few hours. Ten years ago almost 8 hours on a FTIR.


With good equipment a CO2 analyzer balanced with a O2 analyzer can offer some results without an FTIR.


 


Bill


ACI









 




In a message dated 5/21/2010 4:42:41 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, bugma...@aol.com writes:





Katie -


 


Hydrogen phosphide is not a good penetrator of wood for control of ppbs.  If the items are small a freezing process, followed by a warming, then plunging the materials again into freezing will elimiinate active infestations in wood.


 


The first time do it at -20 degress F for 72 hours; then warm the object up to room temperature, then freeze 'em again for 3 days at -20 degress F.  Your problem will be elimanated.


 


Tom Parker









-Original Message-
From: Katie Fisher 
To: pestlist@museumpests.net 
Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 2:02 pm
Subject: [pestlist] detecting woodborers







Hi, 


 


My name is Katie Fisher and I’m the new Pest Control Technician at the Glenbow Museum. I just wanted to ask a somewhat out-there question regarding the detection of wood borers… this museum has been battling Powderpost Beetles for quite a while. Every 5 or so years a new wave will appear, a large-scale treatment process will happen (phosphene), but it just doesn’t seem to be effective in getting rid of the Powderpost population. 


 


Since it takes years for them to exit the wood, I feel like I’m somewhat just twiddling my thumbs in the meantime, wondering if the last treatment did the trick. A friend suggested that I might be able to use a stethoscope to hear the larva inside the wood… does anyone do this, to detect woodborers? Does anyone think it would be at all effective in hearing them?


 


Cheers,


Katie


 


Katie Fisher


Pest Control Technician


Glenbow Museum


130-9th Avenue S.E.


Calgary, Alberta T2G 0P3


Tel (403) 268-4235


Fax (403) 265-9769