Observations on the biology of Lycts Brunneus (Steph.)

1953 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
FJ Gay

An account is given of certain aspects of the biology of Lyctus brunneus (Steph.). Female beetles are able to oviposit within 24 hr. after emerging from infested timber and deposit an average of more than 70 eggs per female over a period of 1-2 weeks. Eggs are deposited at depths of 1.0-6.5 mm. in the wood vessels, preferentially from a transverse surface, but also through radial and tangential faces. The incubation period of the eggs ranges from about 1 week at 26�C, to 3 weeks at 15�C. The egg-adult developmental period ranges from 4 months at 26�C. to 16 months or more at 15�C. Under optimal conditions of temperature, relative humidity (and hence wood moisture content), and nutrition, the life cycle may be as short as 2 months. The sex ratio of L. brunneus is 1 : 1 and the adult beetles live from 2.5 to 7 weeks, depending upon the temperature, females being somewhat longer-lived than males. The larvae of L. brunneus are somewhat more resistant to heat treatment than are the eggs, but one 1/2hr. exposure to 50�C. is completely lethal to both stages.

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. e002
Author(s):  
Juan I. Fernández-Golfín ◽  
Maria Conde Garcia ◽  
Marta Conde Garcia

Aim of study: To obtain improved models to predict, with an error of less than ± 2.0%, the gravimetric moisture content in four different softwoods commonly present in the Spanish and European markets, based on electrical resistance measurements. This improved moisture content estimation is useful not only for assessing the quality of wood products, especially in the case of laminated products, during the transformation and delivery process, but also for accurately monitoring the evolution of moisture in wood present in bridges and buildings, which is of great importance for its maintenance and service life improvement.Area of study: The study was carried out on samples of Scots, laricio, radiata and  maritime pines of Spanish provenances.Material and methods: On 50x50x20 mm3 solid wood samples (36 per species, 9 per condition), conditioned at 20ºC (±05ºC) and 40±5%, 65±5%, 80±5% or 90±5% Relative Humidity (RH), electrical resistance and oven-dry moisture content was measured. The Samuelsson's model was fitted to data to explain the relationship between the two variables. The accuracy of the model was evaluated by the use of an external sample.Main results: With the proposed mathematical functions the wood moisture content can be estimated with an error of ±0.9% in the four species, confirming the effectiveness of this nondestructive methodology for accurate estimation and monitoring of moisture content.Research highlights: our results allow the improvement of the moisture content estimation technique by resistance-type methodologies.Keywords: Resistance-type moisture meter; species correction.Abbreviations used: MC: Moisture content; RH: relative Humidity; R: electrical resistance; RP: wood electrical resistance measured parallel to the grain; RT: electrical resistance measured perpendicular (transversally) to the grain; GM-MC: gravimetrically measured moisture content.


Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1672
Author(s):  
Hannes Stolze ◽  
Mathias Schuh ◽  
Sebastian Kegel ◽  
Connor Fürkötter-Ziegenbein ◽  
Christian Brischke ◽  
...  

In this study, varying ambient climates were simulated in a test building by changing temperature and relative humidity. Beech glued laminated timber (glulam, Fagus sylvatica, L.) was freshly installed in the test building and monitoring of the change in wood moisture content of the glulam resulting from the variations in climate was carried out. Subsequently, finger-jointed beech specimens were exposed to the variations in relative humidity measured in the course of the monitoring experiment on a laboratory scale, and thus an alternating climate regime was derived from the conditions in the test building. Its influence on the delamination of the finger-joints was evaluated. In addition, it was examined whether beech finger-joints using commercial adhesive systems fulfil the normative requirements for delamination resistance according to EN 301 (2018) and whether different bonding-wood moisture levels have an effect on the delamination of the finger-joints. In the context of the monitoring experiment, there was a clear moisture gradient in the beech glulam between the inner and near-surface wood. The applied adhesive systems showed almost the same delamination resistance after variation of relative humidity. The normative requirements were met by all PRF-bonded and by most PUR-bonded beech finger-joints with higher bonding wood moisture content.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. e002
Author(s):  
Juan I. Fernández-Golfín ◽  
Maria Conde Garcia ◽  
Marta Conde Garcia

Aim of study: To obtain improved models to predict, with an error of less than ± 2.0%, the gravimetric moisture content in four different softwoods commonly present in the Spanish and European markets, based on electrical resistance measurements. This improved moisture content estimation is useful not only for assessing the quality of wood products, especially in the case of laminated products, during the transformation and delivery process, but also for accurately monitoring the evolution of moisture in wood present in bridges and buildings, which is of great importance for its maintenance and service life improvement.Area of study: The study was carried out on samples of Scots, laricio, radiata and  maritime pines of Spanish provenances.Material and methods: On 50x50x20 mm3 solid wood samples (36 per species, 9 per condition), conditioned at 20ºC (±05ºC) and 40±5%, 65±5%, 80±5% or 90±5% Relative Humidity (RH), electrical resistance and oven-dry moisture content was measured. The Samuelsson's model was fitted to data to explain the relationship between the two variables. The accuracy of the model was evaluated by the use of an external sample.Main results: With the proposed mathematical functions the wood moisture content can be estimated with an error of ±0.9% in the four species, confirming the effectiveness of this nondestructive methodology for accurate estimation and monitoring of moisture content.Research highlights: our results allow the improvement of the moisture content estimation technique by resistance-type methodologies.Keywords: Resistance-type moisture meter; species correction.Abbreviations used: MC: Moisture content; RH: relative Humidity; R: electrical resistance; RP: wood electrical resistance measured parallel to the grain; RT: electrical resistance measured perpendicular (transversally) to the grain; GM-MC: gravimetrically measured moisture content.


Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 666
Author(s):  
Miha Humar ◽  
Rožle Repič ◽  
Davor Kržišnik ◽  
Boštjan Lesar ◽  
Romana Cerc Korošec ◽  
...  

The importance of thermal modification is increasing worldwide. Increased use of thermally modified timber (TMT) has resulted in a need for reliable quality control, comprising control of variation of the production within defined limits, allowing third-party control in the case of certification and the regulation of customer complaints and claims. Techniques are thus needed to characterise the modification of quality in terms of improved target properties of TMT during industrial production, and of TMT products that have been in service for an arbitrary time. In this study, we aimed to utilise dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) for this purpose. Norway spruce (Picea abies) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica) samples were thermally modified at different temperatures according to different heat treatment techniques: (1) the Silvapro process based on an initial vacuum; (2) an air heat treatment, whereby samples were wrapped in aluminium foil; (3) thermal modification of wood samples in the ambient atmosphere in a laboratory oven. Wood samples from closed processes were analysed for validation. TMT was characterised with respect to mass loss, colour and density. Mass loss of wood due to modification (MLTM) was correlated with factors derived from DVS analysis. The present DVS measurements suggest that the equilibrium wood moisture content (EMC95% RH), the time to reach 10% wood moisture content (t10% MC), and the elongation factor, c, derived from a logarithmic function, can serve as alternative parameters to characterise the quality of several thermal modification processes. Further studies are recommended using other wood species, different modification processes and further parameters gained from DVS measurements to understand the robustness and the predictive power of the applied technique.


1952 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 60 ◽  
Author(s):  
MT Scott

Experimental observations are recorded on the bionomics of Damalinia ovis on the sheep and in vitro. The optimal conditions for in-vitro rearing of D. ovis are 36.5°C. and 70-90 per cent, relative humidity when a mixture of skin scurf and baker's yeast is used as food. Under these conditions the life cycle closely approximates the estimated life cycle on the sheep. The incubation period is 9-10 days; the three nymphal instars are completed in 7, 5, and 9 days respectively; the preoviposition period is approximately 3 days, making a cycle of 34 days from egg to egg. The lice and their eggs are very susceptible to changes in temperature. The areas of heaviest infestation are along the mid-dorsal line and down the sides of the sheep. Individual sheep differ considerably in their susceptibility to artificial and to natural infestations. Sheep in poor condition tend to have the heaviest infestations, which are retained throughout the year. There is a pronounced seasonal fluctuation in populations of D. ovis, the heaviest infestation occurring in the period from June to September.


2010 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabricio F. Pereira ◽  
José C. Zanuncio ◽  
José E. Serrão ◽  
Teresinha V. Zanuncio ◽  
Dirceu Pratissoli ◽  
...  

Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gregarious and polyphagous parasitoid mainly of Lepidoptera pupae. The objective of this paper as to study the developent of parasitoid on Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) pupae exposed to one, nine, 18, 27, 36, 45 or 54 female P. elaeisis, respectively. The females of the parasitoid remained in contact with pupae for 24 hours in glass tubes (14.0 x 2.2 cm), packed in a climatic chamber regulated at 25 ± 2°C, 70 ± 10% relative humidity and photo phase of 12 hours. With the exception of density 1:1 (72.72%), in other densities parasitism was 100%. Adults of P. elaeisis did not emerge from pupae at densities of 1:1 and 9:1, but 100.0% of parasitoid emergence was observed at the density of 45:1 and 54.54% at 54:1. The duration of the life cycle of this parasitoid ranged from 20 to 28 days. P. elaeisis produced 49 to 589 descendants per pupa of B. mori. The sex ratio of P. elaeisis ranged from 0.93 ± 0.01 to 0.97 ± 0.01 without differences with 18, 27, 36, 45 and 54 females/host. This parasitoid should be reared with the density of 45 females per pupa of B. mori.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Mbahin ◽  
S. K. Raina ◽  
E. N. Kioko ◽  
J. M. Mueke

A study on the life cycle of the silkmothAnaphe panda(Boisduval) was conducted in two different habitats of the Kakamega Forest in western Kenya: Ikuywa, an indigenous forest, and Isecheno, a mixed indigenous forest. Eggs were laid in clusters, and the incubation period ranged from 40 to 45 days. Larvae fed onBridelia micrantha(Hochst) and passed through seven instars. The developmental period took between 83 to 86 days in the dry season and 112 to118 days in the rainy season. The pupal period ranged between 158 and 178 days in the rainy season and, on the other hand, between 107 and 138 days in the dry season. But the later caught up in development with those that formed earlier. Moths emerged from mid-October until mid-May. Longevity of adultAnaphe pandamoths took between 4 and 6 days, but generally females seemed to live longer than males. The moth also seems to have higher lifespan in the indigenous forest compared to the mixed indigenous forest.


BioResources ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 2645-2655
Author(s):  
Yuehua Zhu ◽  
Yaoli Zhang ◽  
Biao Pan

The thermal conductivity and the deformation of wood from the Taxodium hybrid ‘Zhongshanshan’ were studied in the process of heat transfer. The results showed that the average thermal conductivity of this wood was 0.1257 W/(m·K) under the condition of 12% wood moisture content and 30 °C heat transfer temperature. When the testing temperature exceeded 0 °C, the thermal conductivity increased linearly with both temperature and wood moisture content and was affected by the moisture content of the wood. During the heat transfer process, the deformation of features caused repeated swelling and shrinkage in the longitudinal, radial, and tangential directions. The dimensional change was greatly affected by the wood’s moisture content and was less affected by the temperature. These results are of great meaning for the study of the heat transfer process of Taxodium hybrid ‘Zhongshanshan’ wood. Furthermore, it provides a scientific basis for the heat preservation effect, drying treatment, and pyrolysis treatment of Taxodium hybrid ‘Zhongshanshan’ wood for use as a building material.


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