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 Preliminary data (unpublished) show that it is possible to adapt the application of the controlled atmospheres to different situations, taking advantage of favorable conditions already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

preliminary observations on the use of low temperatures in the cultural heritage protection

Each insect species has different temperature optima: the more this parameter deviates from these values the more the insect suffers negative consequences, up to the death. Temperature can be easily editable. Therefore, the application of low temperatures may represent a physical method for the protection of valuable cultural objects, alternative, for example, to chemical ones. In this paper we report laboratory tests results, carried out on Trogoderma inclusum LeConte (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), a species harmful to leather items such as bindings of books and mummies, in order to reach its control by applying low temperatures. The tests were conducted using specimens obtained from laboratorybreeding blocks maintained at 27 ± 2°C and 75 ± 5% R.H., in a temperaturecontrolled room of the Institute of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Piacenza. The aim of the tests was to determine the time necessary to obtain the total mortality of the different instars of development at temperatures of -10°C and -20°C. The insects, in the various instars of development of egg, larva, pupa and adult, were treated with low temperatures in two different ways: - inserting the Petri dishes containing the insects directly in the freezer without any protection, in order to obtain an immediate lowering of the temperature, and - inserting the Petri dish in a niche carved in an old book so that the lowering of the temperature is gradual. In some cases the insects were kept at +4°C for a time before the test to determine whether exposure to low temperature before treatment could induce a resistance to it. The results show that the method can be validly applied for cultural heritage objects protection, attacked by the species concerned

Relationship among soil management, organic matter content and root development along the explorable soil profile in the vineyard

In the most ancient wine area of the Controlled Denomination of Origin (DOC) “Oltrepò Pavese” in North-West Italy, foothills of the Apennine mountains, the soils of 14 representative vineyards managed for about 10 years with tillage (T) or natural grass-cover (G) or the alternation of the two methods between the rows (GT), were compared for their contents of organic matter, main soil parameters and extent of root development, in the first meter of depth. The soils are fine textured, sometimes calcareous, with low levels of organic matter. G and GT soil treatments showed higher organic matter content (on average 1.4%) than T (0.88%). Better root development (number and area) was observed in G and GT, in comparison with T; the number and size of roots showed a positive correlation with the soil organic matter

Observations sur Nabis pseudoferus pseudoferus Remane et Nabis occidentalis Rieger, comparaison avec Nabis punctatus Costa (Rhynchota, Nabidae)

Observations on Nabis pseudoferus pseudoferus Remane and N. occidentalis Rieger, comparison with N. punctatus Costa (Rhynchota, Nabidae). The authors give a morphological description of the adults and nymphs of Nabis pseudoferus pseudoferus Remane and N. occidentalis Rieger, together with observations on the biology and distribution of the species. A comparison is made between the preimaginal stages of these two species and N. punctatus Costa.Les auteurs font la description morphologique des adultes et des larves des espèces Nabis pseudoferus pseudoferus Remane et N. occidentalis Rieger, avec les observations sur la biologie et la distribution des espèces. Une comparaison est faite entre les stades préimaginaux des deux espèces considérées et ceux de N. punctatus Costa.Chiappini Elisabetta, Reguzzi Maria-Cristina. Observations sur Nabis pseudoferus pseudoferus Remane et Nabis occidentalis Rieger, comparaison avec Nabis punctatus Costa (Rhynchota, Nabidae). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 104 (1), mars 1999. pp. 67-76

Trisopsis sp. (Diptera: CecidomyIidae): un predatore presente nei prosciuttifici. Osservazioni preliminari.

I Cecidomyiidae, probabilmente la famiglia pi\uf9 numerosa dei Ditteri, comprendono specie galligene di interesse economico perch\ue9 dannose alle piante coltivate, ma anche numerose specie zoofaghe, sia predatrici sia endoparassitoidi, importanti per il ruolo ecologico di limitatori naturali di afidi, cocciniglie, psille, aleirodidi e acari. La famiglia si suddivide in diverse sottofamiglie: ai Cecidomyiinae appartiene il genere Trisopsis, descritto da Kieffer nel 1912 (Harris e Dorchin, 2012). Di questo genere si conosce poco, in particolare non \ue8 noto molto della sua biologia: si sa che si tratta di un genere a cui appartengono anche specie predatrici di altri artropodi come afidi, cocciniglie, acari (Crosby, 1986). Il presente lavoro riguarda individui catturati in un prosciuttificio nel Parmense, presenti sul pavimento dello stabilimento all'interno del "ruffino", dove \ue8 stata messa in evidenza un\u2019entomofauna piuttosto ricca. Su questo pabulum sono state trovate larve di Trisopsis sp., stadi preimmaginali di Rincoti Antocoridi, anch'essi predatori, oltre ad acari dei salumi. Gli esemplari di Trisopsis sp., rinvenuti nel prosciuttificio, sono stati allevati e i vari stadi inviati al Prof. Solinas e al Prof. Harris per l\u2019identificazione della specie. In base ai dati morfologici, gli esemplari studiati appartengono a un\u2019unica specie del genere Trisopsis, vicina a Trisopsis tyroglyphi Barnes. Nel presente contributo si riporta quindi una brevissima descrizione morfologica dei vari stadi della specie, corredata di fotografie al microscopio elettronico a scansione, e si descrivono comportamenti di adulti e larve.TRISOPSIS SP. (DIPTERA: CECIDOMYIIDAE): A MITES PREDATOR PRESENT IN HAM FACTORIES. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS The Cecidomyiidae, probably the largest family of Diptera, include gall midge species of economic interest, being harmful to cultivated plants, but also many zoophagous species both predators and endoparassitoids, important as natural control agents of aphids, mealy bugs, psyllids, aleyrodids and mites. The family is divided into several subfamilies: the genus Trisopsis, described by Kieffer in 1912, belongs to that of Cecidomyiinae (Harris and Dorchin, 2012). Little is known of this genus, particularly of its biology: it includes species which are predators of other arthropods such as aphids, mealy bugs, mites (Crosby, 1986). This contribution concerns specimens collected in a ham factory in Parma, on the debris present on the floor, where a quite rich fauna is present. On this pabulum Trisopsis sp. larvae, preimaginal stages of Hemiptera Anthocoridae, also predators, as well as ham mites were found. Specimens of Trisopsis sp., collected on the ham debris, were bred and the various stages were sent to Prof. Solinas and Prof. Harris for species identification. On morphological data bases, the specimens studied belong to a single species of the genus Trisopsis, close to Trisopsis tyroglyphi Barnes. In this paper a brief morphological description of the various stages of the species, illustrated with Scanning Electron Microscope photographs, together with an account of adults and larvae behavior, is given

Telling Insect Tales: Assessing the Effectiveness of Educational Stories

The use of stories as an educational tool to teach sciences has been investigated. We describe how we proceeded to write a book of five educational stories dealing with different aspects of insect life. Each story was constructed so as to be correct from a scientific, albeit imaginary, point of view, illustrated with drawings suitable for children but also rigorously scientific and supplemented with educational pages, where the scientific concepts, which the children should have spontaneously acquired while reading the story, were specified in clear, age appropriate language. The results of learning, using the book, were verified in primary school classes in Italy, with pupils aged 8, 9, and 10. Record forms respectively relating to stories and educational pages were prepared. They were intended to ascertain if major scientific concepts of the stories had been acquired, if children could transfer the concept learned from each story to other animals, whether children had used any previous knowledge, and the associations they had made. The results achieved and, in particular, the problems encountered by children with text interpretation and learning procedure are discussed. Based on these results, some suggestions are given to construct and use educational stories for teaching science. It is concluded that this tool requires collaboration among researchers in scientific subjects relevant to the concepts that have to be conveyed, educationalists, teachers and other professionals that know the school situation

Pseudocereali e insetti delle derrate

PSEUDO-CEREALS AND FOODSTUFF INSECTS Among plants which can be used in human nutrition, the so-called pseudocereals are gaining in popularity due to their high nutritional value and other properties. The grains of these plants can be consumed as such or transformed into flour to obtain bread, pasta or other derivatives, in the place of traditional cereals or added to them. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willdenow), amaranth (Amaranthus spp.), and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), as well as chia (Salvia hispanica L.), which is an oily seed, are plants originating in continents such as Asia and Latin America and until recently unknown to most people; they represent an interesting topic of research from the agronomic point of view and find an increasing diffusion in our agribusiness sector. Their cultivation is increasing in various European countries, including Italy, and - like other crops - they are susceptible to attack by pests after harvest. As for all other foodstuffs, the hygiene and protection of these "new" foods from attack and pollution, even if only temporary, cannot be neglected or ignored. Our laboratory research has investigated the susceptibility of pseudocereals and chia to attack by some common foodstuff beetles and moths known for their more or less marked polyphagy: Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Col. Bostrichidae), Sitophilus granarius (L.) (Col. Dryophthoridae), Tenebrio molitor L. (Col. Tenebrionidae) and Plodia interpunctella (H\ufcbner) (Lep. Pyralidae). Results revealed significant differences in the timescale and means of infestation and larval development: S. granarius and R. dominica grew only on buckwheat, while on chia, amaranth and quinoa no signs of infestation were ever observed; P. interpunctella grew on all seeds except amaranth, with high larval trophic activity and damage, but most larvae died between 60 and 90 days after the beginning of the infestation. Similarly, T. molitor larvae in trophic activity were observed on all the grains, but they never fully developed and drastically decreased during the test. Investigations into palatability and the dynamics of infestation during the storage phase of pseudocereals in optimal conditions for insects are a first step to further knowledge on the conservation of these new foodstuffs and the risks of contamination to which they are subject