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The clinical importance of Insects to Man

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:32:30 +0000

Insects are by far the largest group of organisms (Class Insecta) on earth. Whether measured in terms of numbers of species or numbers of individuals. Insects live in every conceivable habitat on land and fresh water, and a few have even invaded the sea. More than 70% of all named animal species are insects, and the actual proportion is doubtless much higher, because millions of additional forms await detection, classification and naming.

Most insects are relatively small, ranging in size from 0.1mm to head, thorax, and abdomen; three pairs of legs, all attached to the thorax; and one pair of antennae. In addition, they may have one or two pairs of wings. Most insects have compound eyes, and many have ocelli as well. The mouth parts of insects are elaborate. They usually consist of the jaws or mandibles, which are tough and unsegmented; a secondary pair of mouth parts, the maxillae, which are segmented; and the lower lip, or labium, which probably evolved from the fusion of another pair of maxilla-like structures. The upper lip, called the labrium, is of less certain origin. The hypopharynx is short, tongue-like organ (in chewing insects) that lies between the maxillae and above the labium, the salivary glands usually open on or near hypopharynx. Within this basic structural framework. the mouth parts vary widely among groups of insects, mainly in relation to their feeding habits.

Many orders of insects- such as Coleoptera, the beetles; Hymenoptera, grasshoppers, crickets, and their relatives- have chewing, or mandibulae mouth parts. In other orders, the mouth parts may be elongated or style-like. For example, in some flies (order Diptera) such as mosquitoes, black flies, and horse flies. there are six piercing, fused styles: the labrium, the mandibles, the maxillae, and the hypopharynx; the labium sheaths the stylets. In more advanced flies, the labium may be the principal piercing organ or may be expanded into large soft lobes through which liquid food is absorbed. The insect thorax consists of three segments (tagmata), each of which has a pair of legs. Occasionally, one or more of these pairs of legs is absent. Legs are completely absent in the larvae of certain groups- for example, in most members of the order Hymenoptera, the bees, wasps and ants- and among the flies, order Diptera. If two pairs of wings are present, they are attached to the middle and posterior segments of the thorax; if only one pair of wings is present, it is usually attached to the middle segment. The thorax is almost entirely filled with muscles that operate the legs and wings. The wings of insects arise as sack-like outgrowth of the body wall; in adult insects, they are solid, except for the veins. The internal features of insects resemble those of the other arthropods. Insects posses sophisticated means of sensing their environment, including sensory hairs to detect chemical signals called pheromones. Most young insects hatch from fertilized eggs laid outside their mother’s body. The zygote develops within the egg into young insect, which escapes by chewing its way out or by bursting the shell. During the course of their development into adults, young insects undergo ecdysis a number of times before they become adults and stop molting permanently. Most insects molt 4 to 8 times during the course of their development. The stages between the molts are defined as instars.

Metamorphosis
There are two principal kinds of metamorphosis in insects: simple and complete. In simple metamorphosis, the wings develop internally during the juvenile stages and appear externally only during the resting stages that immediately preceeds the final molt. During this stage, the insect is called a pupa or chrysais, depending on the group to which it belongs. A pupa does not normally move around much, although the pupae of mosquitoes do move around freely. A very large amount of internal reorganization of the insect’s body takes place while it is a pupa or chrysalis. In the insects with simple metamorphosis, the immature stages are often called nymphs. They are usually quite similar to the Adults, differing mainly in their smaller size, less well-developed wings, and sometimes in their color. More than 90% of the insects, including the members of all of the largest and most successful orders, display complete metamorphosis, in which the juvenile stages and adults often live in distinct habitats, have different habits, and are usually extremely different in form. In these insects, development is indirect. Larvae in insects are immature stages, often worm-like, which differ greatly in appearance from the adults of the same species. Larvae do not have compound eyes. They may be legless or have legs as well as sometimes having leg like appendages on the abdomen. Pupae do not feed and are usually relatively inactive. As pupae, insects are extremely vulnerable to predators and parasites, they are often covered by a cocoon or some other protective structure. Groups of insects with complete metamorphosis include the moths, and butterflies; beetles; bees, wasp, and ants; flies and fleas.

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I am Funom Theophilus Makama. A medical student, an affiliate marketer and a professional writer. I write articles of most kinds of categories, but the few hundreds of articles I have written are mostly centered on spirituality, sexuality, religion, medicine, nutrition, health issues, women’s issues, men’ s issues, domestic ‘know-hows’ etc.I advertise products, companies, websites, goods, etc through writing and distribution of articles, thereby spreading it across the internet. More more details, just type my name “Funom Makama” on any search engine or simply click this link to see how the business workshttp://funom-makama.blogspot.com/It is possible to contact me through this link and I hope you will
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Pests in farms and their control measures:

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:19:35 +0000

In a view for educating farmers to be aware of the pests that prevail in farms this content has been developed:

Insects:

A few harmful insects are:

Cabbage Butterfly – This butterfly in the larva stage feeds on Cabbage leaves and causes heavy loss in the cabbage gardens.

Colorado potato beetle – Initially this type of beetle is fed on the buffalo bur plant, and then it migrates to the potato field and damages the crops.

Tomato Horn worms – These types of worms feed only on solanaceous plants (Night shading plants) like Tomato.

Corn borers – Corn fields and belts are facing a menace of this kind of pest.

Sugarcane borers – Sugarcane stem is dented by drilling holes on the stalk of the plant.

Measures: Regular spraying of Bio-pesticides like Neem oil in the farms can control the above mentioned insects up to an extent. Neem oil in the form cakes or pellets is preferred for the field soils to avoid the growth of such insects.

Mollusks:

Snail and slugs which belong to the mollusks family are considered to be the vital field spoiler in cabbage belts and lettuce farms.

Measures: Tea seed powder can be mixed in the soil to avoid the migration of snail and slugs into the farms thereby controlling their part of damage.

Mammals:

Mammals are frustrating kind of field pests for the farmers because they completely destroy the farms by making burrows and pits between the crops which make the insufficiency for the plants in taking the essential nutrients. Mammal pests include rats, armadillos, rabbits, raccoons, voles, squirrels, moles, mice, etc. Herbivore mammals like deer, elephants, bison, etc. are also considered as a menace in farms depending upon their behavior. They cause heavy damages in farms when in comparison to insects and other tiny pests.

Measures: Proper fencing and compound structures around the field can reduce the invasion of larger mammals. With a view of smaller mammals, use of poisoning cake powder mixed with the eatables will surely work out against the rats and mice kind of pests. Avoid dumping wastages near the fields which serves to be their generating point.

Birds:

Birds too come under the consideration of farm pests as some birds like crows, pigeons, sparrows, gulls, etc. feed on grain fields. There are some birds, which also help in controlling few farm pests. So they are referred to be a boon as well as bane for a farmer.

Measures:

Use of nets and Gas guns in the fields can keep them out of the farms.

Bob Morrison is a retired research Entomologist. He has an experience of more than 10 years in this field. He had been to many countries to present his papers regarding pest control in agriculture. He is a passionate gardener too. After getting retired, he focused in writing articles related to Gardening, Pests control, and Organic pesticides and so on. He also did research in selecting best Bio-pesticides that are available to suggest the farmers and gardeners who are passionate as well.
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Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections – 3 Homeopathic Remedies for UTI You Might Not Like to Try

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:12:14 +0000

Urinary tract infection is a chronic disease. Sufferers from this type of infection tend to resort to all kinds of medication in order to rid themselves of this affliction. In fact, according to the American Hospital Association, some U.S. hospitals encourage the use of alternative medicine in order to treat frequently recurring diseases, including UTI. One of the suggested home remedies for urinary tract infection is called homeopathy and the use of homeopathic medicines.

Others brand homeopathy as a form of legalized quack medicine. Based on records,homeopathy gained recognition as a legal form of medication in 1938, when a U.S. senator who was also a homeopathic physician was able to secure approval from Congress through the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Hence, homeopathic medicine has since then come up with different kinds of alternative medicine and remedies for urinary tract infection, in their bid to provide the ultimate treatment in curing this chronic ailment.

Samuel Hahnemann, a German Physician who was the first to introduce this form of treatment in the medical world, believed that the treatment of diseases should follow the “law of similars”.

The treatment was based on the notion that in order to cure a person from a particular disease, the treatment given to the patient should be one that results to the same symptoms experienced by the patient while suffering from the disease.

In fact, the word homeopathy is derived from the Greek word “homoios” meaning similar and “pathos” meaing disease. Based on this, let us look into the alternative remedies for urinary tract infection recommended by this form of treatment:

1. Cantharis – refers to a large variety of beetle soldiers. As homeopathic medication, the beetles are said to be gathered at daybreak, cooked in a steam of boiling vinegar, to be crushed and mixed with greater parts of milk and sugar. This then is said to be administered to the patient in low doses.

Accordingly, the effect of this concoction is burning and scalding pain while passing urine, which is in accordance with homeopathy’s principle of treating the symptoms of the disease with like symptoms.

2. Apis mellifica – is a scientific name that refers to honeybees. The treatment using this medication is by way of live honey bee stings or extracting the bee’s stinger and using it as a bee venom therapy.

In some cases, a live honeybee is crushed and mixed in water and alcohol base. Similar to Cantharis, this treatment for UTI also causes burning and stinging pain in passing urine.

3. Staphysagria – is a homeopathic remedy for UTI derived from the seeds of Delphinium Staphisagria, a plant which is said to be poisonous in its raw form but loses its toxicity once it is transformed as a therapeutic preparation.

According to historical data, this plant was used to kill vermin or pests like rat, cockroaches and other forms of parasites. It also qualifies as a homeopathic treatment for UTI because it similarly causes painful and stinging urination.

In homeopathic treatment, tonics and concoctions are administered only in small portions since some of them are derived from plants and animals that possess toxic properties. This article is only for information purposes and not at all intended as a recommendation to replace the doctor’s medication for urinary tract infection.

Henceforth, after knowing what constitutes homeopathic cures, it is all the more recommended that it would be best to seek your doctor’s medical opinion and approval before taking other home remedies for urinary tract infection, like homeotherapy.

Alvin Hopkinson is a leading researcher in the area of natural remedies and urinary tract infection treatment. Discover how you can get rid of your UTI for good using proven home remedies, all without using harmful medications or drugs. Visit his site now for more useful articles such as: UTI Natural Remedies – 3 Natural Ways to Treat UTI
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Help! How Do I Treat Plantar Warts that Will Not Go Away?

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:19:43 +0000

Plantar Warts are a common problem. Some studies estimate that as many as 10 percent of Americans are infected. These warts, which form on the sole of your feet, are caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Most people pick them up by going barefoot in public locker rooms or showers. Humans build up immunity to the virus with age and so the warts are particularly common in children, who can catch the virus simply by walking around barefoot outside.

Plantar warts are usually harmless. They can, however, be particularly contagious and resistant to treatment. Sometimes one wart will produce small cluster of warts on the bottom of the foot, known as a mosaic. Plantar warts tend to appear in the same places over the course of a lifetime. Treatments may have to be administered on several occasions before the wart is eliminated.

Most of the time, warts can be treated at home using wart removal kits you can find at drug stores. If these home treatments have failed, or if you notice your wart growing, changing color or multiplying on the sole of your foot, consult your doctor. More drastic measures may need to be taken to get your plantar wart situation under control.

Most doctors will start with cryotherapy – a treatment that uses liquid nitrogen to freeze off the wart. After application of liquid nitrogen to the affect area, skin should blister and eventually peels off in about a week. Several treatments may be necessary in order to completely eradicate the plantar wart. A more experimental treatment of plantar warts involves a substance known as cantharidin. This substance is produced by the blister beetle, and it has been used to treat warts for centuries. A doctor will apply the cantharidin to your skin and cover the affected area with tape. The substance will cause your skin to blister (hence the beetle’s name) and a week later your doctor will remove the dead skin.

People whose warts do not respond to the above treatment may want to consider surgery. This surgery can take several forms: the doctor can cut away the wart, kill it using an electric needle (a process known as electrodesiccation) or use a laser beam. Some patients also choose to undergo immunotherapy, a process by which your doctor stimulates your immune system so that it releases proteins and other natural wart-fighting agents. These treatments are, of course, more expensive (and sometimes more painful) and should be turned to as a last resort.

Jane Barron works for OddShoeFinder.com,a free online website that helps people find mismatched footwear.If you are looking for diabetic shoes ,mismatched footwear ,different sized feet or information useful to polio survivors, people with diabetes foot problems, and people with foot size differences,visit oddshoefinder.com
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Beneficial Insects For Your Garden

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:16:24 +0000

The idea of having insects of any variation, living within the garden you work so hard to maintain, can manifest a troublesome stream of thought. In truth, there are several tiny creatures that create a healthy dynamic for your greens. In understanding how these insects operate, it is possible to work with them to create a natural balance within your own garden.

Here are the most common insects that can be a benefit to most all gardens:

• Ladybugs – These familiar beetles work overtime to clear your garden of unwelcome guests. Harmless to humans, ladybugs will feast on aphids. They also lay their eggs directly onto aphid colonies, feeding on these leaf eaters three weeks before they hatch. A ladybug not only eats up to sixty aphids a day, but they also have a ravenous appetite for other small mites and leafhoppers.

• Parasitic Wasps – Fortunately, these are not the stinging wasps most tend find alarming. These wasps feed on pollens and nectars, quite similarly to the ladybug. Once they have found a home within your garden, they most commonly will begin to eat most anything in the grub/worm family. These particular wasps are in need of moisture to survive, thriving on gardens that are well-watered with moist soils.

• Praying Mantis – One of the larger species, these creatures are just as much interesting to have in a garden as they are helpful. Praying Mantis can be purchased in egg form, and placed amid shrubbery or large leaf plants. After they have hatched, they will dine on large beetles, fruit flies, moths and crickets. They require a certain degree of humidity, and are hard to spot, as they tend to avoid direct sunlight.

• Green Lacewings – These winged bugs were initially native to Australia. They are now found worldwide, commonly used in gardens to ward off caterpillars and white flies. Green lacewings commonly do not eat other insects. Their main interest is that of insect’s eggs. Although, if eggs are not in abundance, they will use their paralyzing venom to consume up to 200 aphids per week.

• Dragonflies – The dragonfly is not only of assistance to your garden, but also the tending gardener. Dragonflies eat mosquitoes. They generally gravitate to tall reedy plants, weaving in between them to catch prey. Importantly, any pesticide used to eliminate mosquitoes will also kill off dragonflies. So, after spotting dragonflies and understanding their diet, sprays for mosquitoes can be eliminated.

In an effort to minimize the use and cost of pesticides, allowing beneficial insects to house themselves within a garden is also a benefit to the gardener. In most cases, the trick is to make sure your beneficial insects outnumber insects that can create damage. Invite beneficial insects into your garden by providing nectarous flowers and flowering plants. Also providing a garden with flowers that bloom at alternate times throughout the year will keep your helpful insects from traveling to find a new food base. While it is possible to purchase these critters, it is sometimes most effective to encourage those that are already living within your garden. Allowing your garden insects to work for you may provide astonishing results.

About the Author: Pamela Ravenwood is a freelance writer, journalist, and writing coach who lives in the desert. In addition to spending her days writing, she also loves to tend to her organic garden where she grows as much of her own food as possible. In this, she counts on her cord reel to keep her hoses from drying out from the desert heat.

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Squash and Pumpkin – What They Are and What Can Go Wrong

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 02:39:12 +0000

Despite the fact that their taste and appearance are very different, squash which comes in two major types, winter and summer, are very closely related and are cultivated and grown basically in the same way. Squash and pumpkin belong to the gourd family, along with cucumbers and melon, in which all members of the family need a lot of room to grow.

Summer squashes are generally grown as sprawling bush plants and they are harvested long before they are mature, that is while their skins are still very tender and can be eaten. For the most part winter squashes grow as vines, which require even more space than summer squashes. We leave these squashes on the vine until they are fully mature; by then, their skins are tough and generaly inedible. If winter squashes are stored properly, they can be kept throughout the winter.

Pumpkins are just another kind of squash, some of them will grow as bushes, and others on vines. They are allowed to fully mature before harvesting, the same as winter squashes.

The varieties of squash seem endless. Some summer squashes include the yellow squash, it can be either “crookneck” or “straightneck”; zucchini, which is a green squash; and white or pale green scallop squash. Most of the summer squash varieties can be harvested within 50 to 60 days after planting.

The acorn and butternut squash, the earliest-maturing winter squashes, are generally ready to be harvested in 75 to 85 days. The buttercub squash, which is shaped like a turban, will mature in about 100 days. Green or slate-gray Hubbard squash, which can grow to a mammoth size, will be ready for harvest in about 110 days. Pumpkins, on the other hand, will ripen in 100 to 120 days. All squashes need a loamy, rich soil that will retain moisture, and they will grow best when nutrients are added to the soil in the form of humus or fertilizer.

Things That Can Go Wrong
Squash and pumpkin, along with cucumbers and melons, are subject to the same diseases. The striped cucumber beetle can spread a bacterial disease that will cause the plants to wilt and then die. You can destroy the beetles by spraying the plants with methoxychlor. Squash vine borers will hatch from eggs that are laid at the plants’ base and will tunnel into the stalks. The most effective treatment is to spray around the base of the plant with methoxychlor, but if these borers hatch and start to tunnel into the plants, you need to cut them out with a knife.

There is no treatment for fusarium wilt, which is a fungous disease, but the best prevention is by crop rotation or by sterilizing the soil with metamsodium. If a powdery mildew should appear on the leaves, cut off the affected shoots only, and spray the plants regularly with Benomyl.

Barbara E. Volkov and her husband Gene are a retired couple who enjoys the at home time and also tinkering around in the garden. We are always learning new things to do for our garden and enjoy sharing the information with others. Come visit our website http://www.gardenersgardensupplies.com for more interesting tidbits on gardening.
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Seven Essential Tips on How to Get Rid of Ants

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:24:39 +0000

Need some useful tips on how to get rid of ants? The following advice should do the trick.
First of all, most products will also work on other insects, including fleas, beetles, ticks, and other flying intruders.
Getting rid of insects doesn’t have to smell bad, and it can be done with help from a spray that doesn’t do further damage to the holes in the ozone layer either.
You’ll want to spray and then leave the area, but the days of horrible-smelling cures are gone, so make sure the product you select mentions the lack of overpowering odor. Nothing makes a job worse than having to wear a clothespin on your nose to get it done. Thank goodness that’s a thing of the past.
Check the label for a more environmentally-friendly aerosol spray. You can find products that come in a steel container that you can recycle from home.
While the sight of ants alone can make you want to spray like mad, it is by far the least effective way of working. That method will only work to drain your wallet faster.
Here’s how to get rid of ants: the most effective way to deal with this pest problem is through well-aimed, short bursts of a product. You’ll also be able to economize at the same time. Think of like hairspray: one squirt in the right spot goes a long way.
Now, here’s a really important tip. Please make sure that your pets are safely out of the general area when you spray. These products are not safe for use on or around your furry friends.
Now, how about some tips on how to avoid the problem in the first place. You need an effective insect-proof home security system.
The best way to prevent ants, crickets, roaches or flour beetles from entering is to seal all cracks and crannies they see as doorways.
Ants love to find the cracks in your secure system, the ones in those out-of-the-way places. Some of those include behind the toilet, refrigerator, stove, countertops, and inside kitchen cupboards. They also like pipes and other hidden spots where food and garbage can quietly collect out of sight.
Make sure to take the time to clean such hard-to-reach spots on a regular basis. Prevention is really the key.
In the kitchen, take the time to clean up all food and garbage after food preparation, wash down countertops and sink areas, and properly seal all leftovers and other food items before storing. Make sure you dispose of all garbage in a timely fashion.
Set out a scheduled time to check on the dried goods in your cupboards, particularly those higher up shelves that you cannot see too well. You want to make sure that your sugar and flour have not escaped their packaging.
If you follow the above tips, you won’t need to worry about how to get rid of ants, because they won’t be able to sneak through your effective insect-proof home security system!

Author, Vincent Carlos Platania,Jr specializes in writing about home care & personal care products. The Fuller Brush Company has been in business since 1906, offers high quality how to get rid of ants home & personal care products to keep your home and your body clean.

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Folder Printing

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:46:43 +0000

Folders are widely used all over the world in all types of offices, corporations, businesses and companies. Folders are the most vital item used in offices for storing and safe keeping of all your important documents, agreements, contacts, bills, etc. Custom folders prove to be the most efficient tool in enhancing your company image and impression. We provide you with high quality printing services for all types of folders. Our team has a vast experience of dealing with the printing of presentation folder, pocket folder, 2 panel pocket folder, office folder, 6 x 9 folders, 9 x 12 folders, 9.5 x 14.5 folders, personalized file folders, tri panel folders, vinyl folders( clear, promotional and document),etc.Folders that are low cost to print are widely used all over the world for all sorts of purposes. They are used by large companies to help advertise their name or product, either by presentation folder, pocket folder, 2 panel pocket folder, office folder, 6 x 9 folder, 9 x 12 folder or 9.5 x 14.5 folders. Folders are used by schools and colleges, as they are cheap to make

Printing beetle is highly experienced and specialized in providing presentation folders, pocket folders, 2 panel pocket folders, office folders, 6 x 9 folders, 9 x 12 folders, 9.5 x 14.5 folders, personalized file folders, tri panel folders, vinyl folders ( clear, promotional and document), clear vinyl folders and has served its clients above and beyond with high quality and cheap printing services. Our company prides itself in providing clients all over the globe especially in USA, Canada, UK and UAE with the most economical, low cost & reliable printing experience than anywhere online. Our dedicated staff is available 24 / 7 for all our folder printing orders to give ultimate satisfaction in all folder related services at very cheap rates. We have state of the art printing presses that are ready to print your folder orders, at low rates, to utmost accuracy. As mentioned earlier the staff at printing beetle is highly experienced and specialized in printing of low cost discount folders. At our company we specialize and cater to all types of folder printing services at the most economical rates. Our printing company provides you with the most low cost folder printing services and gives you the facility to choose your own business, corporate or personal four color folder printing & designing, according to your need, making it easy for you to place an order in an instant. With this option of choosing your own custom designed folders for printing provides you with several creativity options that can easily do wonders for your business at the cheapest rate available anywhere online.

David Mark works for, more topics on folders printing and other related services can be found at pocket folder printing
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Britain’s Orchards Disappearing

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:27:04 +0000

Conservationists have warned of the loss of Britain’s traditional orchards. Recent figures from The National Trust indicate that up to 60% of orchards have been lost since the 1950’s due to changes in land use and the increase in commercial fruit growers. This had led to a dramatic loss in important wildlife habitat in addition to the danger of losing traditional and local varieties of fruit including apples, pears and cherries.

Particularly concerned about the loss of habitat for some of Britain’s important and valuable wildlife, The National Trust has launched a £536,000 scheme to encourage the reversal of orchard decline. In 2007 the government prioritised the saving of orchard habitats due to their unique eco systems. Traditional orchards with spaced tree’s allowing low grazing stock such as sheep to graze are low intensity managed. With little or no chemicals being used, trees are allowed to mature to old and gnarled individuals allowing the perfect habitat for the lesser spotted woodpecker and the chafer beetle. In addition they also supply a rich source of nectar and pollen for Britain’s declining bee population.

But it is also the loss of historical and regional fruits that is under scrutiny. With the 21st century already hurrying by The National Trust has appointed Kate Merry to act as orchard officer in a bid to halt the destruction: “We now have a real opportunity to reverse the decline of traditional orchards and recognise the important role they play in our cultural and natural heritage“. Many local varieties of fruit, plums and damsons included, may even be lost with us never realising. The campaign will endeavour to manage existing orchards, promote new sites, and train people how to manage orchards successfully.

And the work has already begun with a survey of over 100 orchards showing substantial numbers of species, many of them rare, living in these natural habitats. At Killerton Estate, Devon, the programme to reverse orchard loss has been a success with the survey showing the inclusion of the orchard park beetle and the apple tree lace bug. It also proved to be a feeding place for long eared bats. Apples are used to make cider and chutney in a bid to help sustain the rejuvenation, two species being unique to the estate.

With demand for outstripping supply, traditional orchards can never replace that of large commercial companies. However, the traditional British orchard, with its unique wildlife habitat, with its contribution to the local economy, with its supply of unique and home grown finery, cannot be left to dwindle to oblivion. The British countryside would be less without it.

Rachel Gawith runs Gofarmer.com.
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The Care Of Antique Furniture

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:53:56 +0000

Environmental Conditions

Humidity will vary between “Too High” at a Relative Humidity (RH) of 70% to “Too Low” at 30% RH. It is important to minimize the fluctuations as much as possible because with every change all the wooden members, that together make a piece of furniture, will move independently. Wood expands in its width and thickness (across the grain) but makes no significant adjustment in its length (along the grain). Rapid daily changes are very much less of a concern than are those created seasonally, especially since the advent of central heating.

Museum and other owners of large collections of furniture strive, with the aid of humidity control machines, to maintain an even RH. People in the private sector should also try to emulate the “professionals”, but only if the quality of their antiques warrants both the expense and trouble of maintenance that humidifiers and dehumidifiers demand. In periods of extreme dryness wet cloth draped over radiators or purpose made “humidity wicks” hung on them, may make a modicum of difference. It would be more effective to lower the background temperature and use local heat only when necessary.

Cold Outside + Warm Inside = Dry Conditions Shrinking timber causing opening-up of the joints, warping, splitting & cracking and torn veneers.

Warm Outside + Cool or Warm Inside = Damp Conditions Expanding timber causing Warping and Compression Stresses – internal damage to the cell structure of the wood, which adds, in time, to additional shrinkage.

A warm and damp environment accelerates chemical action. Materials which become chemically unbalanced, such as leather (particularly of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries), paper and textiles are at risk. A damp environment will cause dust-covered metals to be severely damaged. Marble too can become stained from dust in similar conditions. Bronze mounts are susceptible to Bronze Disease, the appearance of blue/green copper on its surface, in a warm damp acid environment.

All light and daylight in particular, contains Ultraviolet light – the wavelength of light that is most damaging to colours of both dyed and natural woods and textiles. Direct sunlight also heats up the parts of objects it falls upon. This warm dry microclimate is evidenced in damage to surface coatings, veneers and the underlying adhesive. The exposure of Oriental Lacquer to daylight should be kept to a minimum, while the whiteness of ivory may be enhanced by shaded daylight.

Biological Conditions

The common furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum) is, or has been, more responsible for rendering furniture unsafe than perhaps any other factor. Fortunately today, eradication of the pest is relatively simple. There are three systems currently used :

Brushed, sprayed and/or injected liquid insecticide
Enveloping the object in a gas, either as a direct poison or as a means of excluding oxygen.
More recently a heated humidity controlled environment has been used with excellent results.
Occasionally furniture has been infested by the deathwatch beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum). The insect needs damp wood which supports a fungal growth, which in turn makes the wood digestible, before it can set up home.
Georgetown Refinishing & Antique Restoration
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