Monitoraggio entomologico nelle strutture di conservazione: Premessa essenziale per lo sviluppo di un protocollo IPM

The European Committee for Standardization is working on a standard for the application of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) in museums and cultural heritage facilities. Since one of the aims of this research was to verify the approach against pests adopted in Italian conservation facilities, a survey was conducted. The results show that for the Italian museums, archives, libraries and historical houses pests are a problem, but IPM is unknown and prevention programmes to avoid damages caused by them, are not applied. In the most of cases pests problems are solved only when the risk is high and damages are visible. Also entomological monitoring, which represents a crucial part of IPM and could be very useful, is not included among the ordinary prevention activities. In addition, at present, the scientific researches on entomological traps, whether light or pheromones, for “cultural heritage pests” is extremely poor and only recently the behaviour and/or the physiology of the insects “of museums” have been investigated. For these reasons, tests to increase the traps using are performed. In particular, S. paniceum behaviour towards different attraction systems was investigated and the results indicate that the light traps efficiency could be improved using specific wavelengths and light sources

Controlled atmospheres against insect pests in museums: a review and some considerations

Controlled atmospheres using nitrogen represent a safe and effective method for both objects and human health. The use of this technique against pests in museums has received an increasing amount of interest during the last twenty years. This paper looks at the researches into anoxic treatments that use nitrogen from the late ‘80s until now. At the moment, the recommended protocol suggests an oxygen percentage below 1% for at least three weeks. Considering that the major practical problems of controlled atmospheres are connected to treatment time and low oxygen percentage, it is very important to develop more flexible protocols that consider higher oxygen percentages or shorter treatment times, exploiting temperature and/or relative humidity. At oxygen percentage higher than those commonly used, temperature and relative humidity are very critical to insects’ development and success. Preliminary data (unpublished) show that it is possible to adapt the application of the controlled atmospheres to different situations, taking advantage of favorable conditions already present in the considered situation and at the same time to use the other parameters at more favorable levels

Anagrus breviphragma Soyka Short Distance Search Stimuli

Anagrus breviphragma Soyka (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) successfully parasitises eggs of Cicadella viridis (L.) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), embedded in vegetal tissues, suggesting the idea of possible chemical and physical cues, revealing the eggs presence. In this research, three treatments were considered in order to establish which types of cue are involved: eggs extracted from leaf, used as a control, eggs extracted from leaf and cleaned in water and ethanol, used to evaluate the presence of chemicals soluble in polar solvents, and eggs extracted from leaf and covered with Parafilm (M), used to avoid physical stimuli due to the bump on the leaf surface. The results show that eggs covered with Parafilm present a higher number of parasitised eggs and a lower probing starting time with respect to eggs washed with polar solvents or eggs extracted and untreated, both when the treatments were singly tested or when offered in sequence, independently of the treatment position. These results suggest that the exploited stimuli are not physical due to the bump but chemicals that can spread in the Parafilm, circulating the signal on the whole surface, and that the stimuli that elicit probing and oviposition are not subjected to learning

Controllo di Tribolium confusum J. du Val mediante atmosfere controllate in differenti condizioni di temperatura, umidit\ue0 relativa e percentuale di ossigeno.

Il lavoro di ricerca svolto in questi anni sulle atmosfere controllate mira a stabilire la possibilit\ue0 di utilizzare livelli di ossigeno superiori a quelli riportati in bibliografia e comunemente utilizzati nella pratica (O2 << 1%), pi\uf9 economici da produrre e facili da mantenere in situazioni di stoccaggio, lasciando l\u2019azoto (N2) come componente principale. L\u2019efficacia della tecnica delle atmosfere controllate \ue8 strettamente correlata alle condizioni di temperatura e umidit\ue0, di conseguenza \ue8 possibile avvalersi di percentuali maggiori di ossigeno grazie all\u2019influenza positiva di questi due parametri che condizionano fortemente il metabolismo degli insetti. Gli artropodi sono organismi in grado di sopportare periodi anche prolungati di ipossia; gli effetti della carenza di O2 sul metabolismo degli insetti sono diversi a seconda dei livelli di presenza di questo gas nell\u2019atmosfera controllata: al diminuire della concentrazione di O2, comunque, la loro mortalit\ue0 aumenta (Hoback e Stanley, 2001). Si possono sfruttare condizioni di bassa U.R. per limitare i tempi di trattamento (quando si operi in condizioni di alte temperature) e, allo stesso modo, si pu\uf2 agire sulle altre variabili (temperatura, percentuale di ossigeno, tempo) per migliorare l\u2019efficacia del trattamento. Tribolium confusum \ue8 una specie che attacca i cereali immagazzinati ed \ue8 quindi ovvio considerare temperature anche elevate e umidit\ue0 relative molto ridotte (10-15%). Da quanto riportato in bibliografia, l\u2019effetto positivo delle basse umidit\ue0 relative sulla mortalit\ue0 \ue8 particolarmente evidente per percentuali di ossigeno superiori all\u20191% (Mitcham et al., 2006; Zhou et al., 2000; Mbata e Phillips, 2001). Di conseguenza, nella nostra ricerca sono state considerate anche percentuali di O2 superiori all\u20191%, meno costose da mantenere per lunghi periodi. Ci\uf2 riduce l\u2019efficacia in condizioni normali, ma pu\uf2 rivelarsi efficace a temperature superiori e % inferiori U.R. (Chiappini et al. 2009). Uova, larve, pupe e adulti sono stati esposti a trattamento in atmosfera controllata con diverse combinazioni di fattori (O2, temperatura, U.R.) in modo da poter sfruttare condizioni ambientali favorevoli ai fini dell\u2019efficacia del trattamento. La stima della mortalit\ue0 \ue8 stata effettuata dopo ogni prova attraverso la conta degli individui morti e/o sopravvissuti. La mortalit\ue0 \ue8 stata poi trasformata in percentuale e analizzata utilizzando l\u2019analisi della varianza, con la quale \ue8 stato inoltre determinato il livello di interazione tra le variabili in esame. Le prove sperimentali su Tribolium confusum hanno dimostrato che il trattamento anossico pu\uf2 risultare molto efficace anche a percentuali di ossigeno pi\uf9 elevate di quelle normalmente utilizzate, ma in condizioni di umidit\ue0 relativa assai ridotta. U.R. e O2 incidono in modo significativo, condizionando il comportamento dell\u2019insetto e quindi la mortalit\ue0. A tutti gli stadi di sviluppo della specie, alla minore U.R. applicata corrisponde la percentuale di mortalit\ue0 significativamente superiore; viceversa la percentuale di mortalit\ue0 si abbassa ulteriormente all\u2019aumentare della U.R., annullandosi nel trattamento con maggiore tenore di ossigeno e maggiore umidit\ue0 relativa. Tra gli stadi di sviluppo l\u2019uovo risulta essere pi\uf9 suscettibile rispetto ad adulti, larve e pupe, raggiungendo in quasi tutte le condizioni il 100% di mortalit\ue0. Ci\uf2 \ue8 facilmente spiegabile considerando che \ue8 uno stadio fisiologicamente molto attivo. Infatti, nonostante appaia quiescente e, probabilmente per questo, sia considerato molto resistente dai \u201cnon-entomologi\u201d, al suo interno, le cellule si stanno dividendo per formare ex novo i tessuti e gli apparati embrionali. Questa intensa attivit\ue0 cellulare si traduce in un elevato metabolismo e, di conseguenza, in un\u2019elevata richiesta di ossigeno. Quando il fabbisogno di ossigeno necessario alla produzione dell\u2019energia che sostiene lo sviluppo dell\u2019embrione non viene soddisfatto, questo muore. La combinazione delle variabili ha dato risultati positivi e ha dimostrato come si possano effettuare trattamenti a percentuali di ossigeno superiori di quelli comunemente utilizzati. Considerando la fisiologia degli insetti, la penuria di ossigeno obbliga ad adottare una serie di cambiamenti comportamentali che permettono di risparmiarne il consumo o aumentarne la concentrazione. Nel secondo caso si tratta di un aumento della frequenza di apertura degli spiracoli, che comporta una perdita d\u2019acqua anche dieci volte superiore rispetto a quella che avverrebbe in condizioni normali e, quindi, la disidratazione dell\u2019insetto. Ovviamente tale effetto \ue8 tanto maggiore quanto minore \ue8 l\u2019umidit\ue0 dell\u2019ambiente, la quale inizia a incidere sulla sopravvivenza dell\u2019insetto nel momento in cui quest\u2019ultimo, per poter respirare, \ue8 indotto ad aprire gli spiracoli per tempi pi\uf9 lunghi rispetto a quelli fisiologici, magari anche a causa di una maggiore attivit\ue0 determinata dal parallelo innalzamento della temperatura. Poter disporre di dati di mortalit\ue0 in condizioni climatiche differenti, consente di utilizzare la tecnica dell\u2019atmosfera controllata nel modo pi\uf9 semplice e meno dispendioso (a livello economico, energetico e di impegno) per la situazione in cui si deve operare

Verso la ricerca multidisciplinare finalizzata alla conservazione preventiva: il contributo di tre entomologhe.

In recent years, the protection of cultural heritage is trying to change course, even in Italy, where a new approach based on preventive conservation is establishing. Recently, the ICOM-CC (2008) defines this concept as actions to prevent and minimize every aspect of cultural property future deterioration. Preventive conservation is based on the idea of non-intervention and turns out to be a major change of mindset that brings up also a different use of funds, particularly important in a period in which financial resources are very limited. A preventive conservation program begins with an assessment of the impact of the agents of deterioration on various collections and is followed by a pondered plan to mitigate these effects. It includes many different areas; among them, the degradation caused by biodeteriogens agents (insects, fungi, or bacteria) is of particular importance. In a preventive conservation plan, pests are seen as elements that can be monitored in various ways, and for which, it is possible to put in place measures to avoid damage or at least reduce it. As properties (or better collections) to be protected are stored in environments that have different characteristics, to find the necessary skills to manage all risks in a single professional figure is virtually impossible. Therefore, the need to work in equip with different specialists who contribute to implement effective and efficient preventive conservation strategy, becomes crucial. The biologist has the competence to deal with pests. Even in legislation, the importance of this specialist is recognized, but in reality the problem of biodeteriogens is often neglected and the importance of the skills of a biologist is not taken into account. This paper discusses the contribution that biologists can provide, in terms of basic and applied research, as well as practical work

Polyamidoamines (PAAs) functionalized with siloxanes as wood preservatives against fungi and insects

A novel treatment based on polyamidoamines (PAAs) for the preservation of wood against fungi and insects with a broad protection functionality, low effective concentration, and low environmental impact has been developed. PAAs were synthesized by nucleophile addition of ethanolamine (EtA) and/or 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to N,N\u2032-methylene-bisacrylamide (MBA). The molar ratios in the tested formulation were: I) MBA:EtA=1:1; II) MBA:APTES=1:1; III) MBA:EtA:APTES=1:0.5:0.5. These formulations, characterized by ESI-MS, NMR, FT-IR, were tested against: (a) the wood decay fungi (Coniophora puteana, Coriolus versicolor, and Poria placenta); (b) the subterranean termite Reticulitermes lucifugus, and the drywood termite Kalotermes flavicollis; (c) the woodborer Stegobium paniceum. Tests in combination with leaching showed that formulation II and III can be utilized as fungal wood preservatives for use classes 2\u20133 (EN 335:2013). In addition, all PAAs formulations were equally effective in preserving wood against the subterranean termite, and formulation II was most effective against drywood termite. On the other hand, the formulation I showed good efficacy against S. paniceum

Preliminary data on cellulase encoding genes in the xylophagous beetle, Hylotrupes bajulus (Linnaeus)

Hylotrupes bajulus (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), a wood-boring beetle attacking softwood, utilises both wood starch and cellulose as food. The fibre is digested in variable percentages, depending on the starch content. A role for symbiotic bacteria was presumed as well as the presence of endogenous cellulases. The aim of our investigation was to verify the presence of endogenous endoglucanase genes in H. bajulus larvae. After performing an online search, three sequences for the endoglucanases of the class GHF5 and four for the endoglucanases of the class GHF45 were recovered and aligned in order to develop some primers on the most conserved regions and try the amplification of the genes in H. bajulus. Seven degenerated primers for GHF5 endoglucanase and five for GHF45 endoglucanase were tested. By using two different primer combinations we obtained two fragments: both of them showed homology with significant identity with insect endoglucanases of the GHF45 family available online, and one also with microbial cellulases. The first fragment is undoubtedly of endogenous origin while we cannot exclude that the second one is of microbial origin. No results were obtained for the endoglucanase of the class GHF5

Wood impregnated with metal chelates dissolved in organic media tested for termite resistance

Wood manufactured products are subjected to biological decay due to fungi and insects. The use of copper chelates as biocides was proposed, due to their high stability which minimizes copper leaching into the environment. Considering the remarkable effectiveness showed by copper chelates on brown rot fungi, zinc and copper salicylate complexes were prepared in order to have metal chelates soluble in organic media available. The present study aimed at evaluating these metal chelates complexes as preservative agents for wood treatment against termites. Trials were performed on Reticulitermes lucifugus (Rossi) and Kalotermes flavicollis (Fabricius). Results showed that in both termite species wood consumption was significantly lower on Cu-chelates treated samples compared to untreated wood, whereas the wood slices impregnated with Zn-chelates and the organic media alone gave an intermediate response. Interestingly, in one case solvent-impregnated wood was significantly more attractive than untreated wood for both species and further investigations are being carried out to clarify this behaviour