Abstract
This report presents the results of the first laboratory investigation for the control of insect pests of museums, using the modified atmosphere (MA). The efficacy of using (MA); including argon or nitrogen gases against the larvae and adults of Anthrenus verbasci and Tinea pellionella was evaluated. The lethal time (LT50 and LT95) was determined for different exposure periods at 20ᵒC and 30ᵒC. Argon atmosphere achieved higher mortality than nitrogen for both insect species. The adults were more sensitive than larvae and the mortality was generally higher at elevated temperature. The univariant factorial ANOVA was used to clarify the relationship between the types of gases, the time of exposure and temperature to achieve higher mortality percentages of adults and larvae of both pests. The exposure to an atmosphere of approximately 0.01% oxygen and 99.9% argon or nitrogen was successful in limiting survival of the tested pests among the developmental stages and this condition is accelerated by warmer temperature (30˚C), with the exposure time required to give complete kill, being shorter for argon.
Highlights
Archaeological materials, organic materials, such as leather, wood, natural fiber textiles and paper are vulnerable to damage and deterioration by biological organisms such as vertebrate pests, insects and even microorganisms, such as mold
Sensitivity of T. pellionella to modified atmosphere of argon and nitrogen gases: Susceptibility of larvae and adults of T. pellionella to 99.9% of argon or nitrogen gases was tested after different exposure periods and different temperatures (20oC and 30oC) at 50% RH
In this report we present the results of the first laboratory investigation on the sensitivity of both pests to low oxygen atmosphere
Summary
Archaeological materials, organic materials, such as leather, wood, natural fiber textiles and paper are vulnerable to damage and deterioration by biological organisms such as vertebrate pests, insects and even microorganisms, such as mold. Adults lay eggs on a larval food source, such as carpets, furs, or woolen fabric. The larvae feed heartily on these materials and cause damage. The common name of casemaking clothes moth comes from the fact that the larva will carry a silken case with it throughout the entire larval stage until it uses the same case to pupate in. The case consists of silken material produced by the larva intertwined with fibers from the material it is feeding on. The food source of this pest could be any feather material, woolens, rugs and furs. The larva will drag the case with it as it feeds. If the case is removed from larva when it is near pupation it will die
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