Effect of temperature on the eradication of house longhorn beetle larvae in wood by microwave treatment

Abstract

In repressive protection of cultural/historical woodwork, microwaves have many advantages over conventional heating. The research%s objective was to examine conditions for eradication of house longhorn beetle larvae (Hylotrupes bajulus) in spruce wood (Picea abies) using microwaves. Larvae, inserted at different depths of spruce blocks containing 12% and 42% of moisture, were exposed to microwaves. Two apparatuses were used; a 750W commercial microwave chamber and a newly developed horn antenna microwave device with the power of 800W and a frequency of 2.45GHz, for targeted radiation. We discovered that the inner part of wood warmed up quicker than the surface heated to 65°C. For successful suppression larvae in the wood need to be heated to 54.5°C, for 10 seconds. The necessary exposure time increases with increasing thickness of wood. The surface of wood containing more moisture is heated quicker, but increased moisture slows down the penetration of microwaves into the wood specimen. Therefore, larvae in wood of lower moisture (12%) died faster, both those 20mm under surface (1.5min) and those at 130 mm of depth (10.5min).