Bugs in frames?

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Photal
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Bugs in frames?

Post by Photal »

I need some help/advice regarding a frame a customer has enquired.

I have attached some photos, and any help would be appreciated.
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Image 3.png
Bugs 2.png
Bugs 1.png
Aaron Broadhouse
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Re: Bugs in frames?

Post by Rainbow »

If you want to identify them, the Royal Entomological Society offer a free identification service. They'll need a good close-up photo and any other information you can give.
https://www.royensoc.co.uk/understandin ... tion-help/
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Re: Bugs in frames?

Post by Timh »

Looks like woodworm beetles. Get it wrapped in plastic until you can treat it. The last thing you'll want is beetles laying eggs in your good stock.
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Photal
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Re: Bugs in frames?

Post by Photal »

Thank you for getting back. I have advised the customer not to bring the frame in. My initial thought was woodworm, but thought it would be good to get a second opinion.

Is woodworm the same as a powder dust beetle?
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Re: Bugs in frames?

Post by prospero »

People get very alarmed about Woodworm. If there are holes it means the adult beetles have emerged and gone. That might have happened years ago. But.... There might be another generation chewing away inside and conventional fluid treatments will not kill them, it will merely prevent the beetles from laying more eggs.
The only reliable way, so I have heard, to fully rid the wood of the beetles is to put it in a deep freeze for any extended time (months?). If you have a big chest freezer you might be able to fit it in (sealed in a poly bag). Or find a friendly butcher. :roll:

** Lion used to sell Woodworm traps. A little card box which was sticky inside and a phial of pheromone liquid. The idea was to kill the egg-laying adults and break the life cycle.
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Re: Bugs in frames?

Post by Not your average framer »

Heat kills insect eggs. If there are any viable insect eggs inside the wood of the frame the frames needs to be heated in an oven to above 100 degrees centigrade for about 30 minutes to destroy any surviving eggs. Any organic matter will be destroyed when subjected to temperatures above 100 degrees centigrade. I also use a small paint brush to brush out the dead insects into the lavatory pan and flush them away. Since I am based in a rural area, I got plenty of restoration jobs which require woodworm treatment.

There are quite a lot of very old houses and cottages with very old well wormed timbers, but woodworm normally go for newer timbers. I normally fill any visible woodworm holes with yaght varnish and wipe away the surplus with white spirit, I dont this to both the outside surfaces on the frame and inside the rebate. As far as i know insects cannot eat their way through yaught varnish. I then refinish the the frame to hide where the woodworm holes were and add a final coat of Polyvine dead flat (matt) wax finish varnish.

Quite a lot of the locals who live in cottages which are serveral hundred years old seek the car boot sales and flea markets for old looking beaten up frames. I frequently get asked to re-size such frames to suit their pictures. I udually charge about £25 to restore such frames. It's not great money, but that's about all the customers are prepared to pay. I do make a profit from doing these, but it's not one of my most profitable jobs. Unfortunately in a small rural town you have to take a few jobs like this to keep the bills paid during the slow times in the year.
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Re: Bugs in frames?

Post by Justintime »

Looks like plenty of white mould there too. My cabinet maker friend tells me it's just from being in too damp a place and putting it into a drier atmosphere sorts the problem, but he doesn't deal with valuable pieces of paper like we do. As far as I'm concerned, anything with mould doesn't cross my threshhold. I'll offer to supply replacement mounts, backing etc and let them take care of it.
if it's a piece of any value to them, then I'd recommend they take it to a conservator to deal with first.
As for woodworm, I have successfully treated it at home in furniture using a proprietary woodworm treatment injected with a needle and syringe (from a friendly chemist or vet), but I would never offer this service in my studio for obvious reasons. For this treatment it's important for them to be aware of the woodworm seasons and treat when they're not dormant preferably.
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