Microwave Destruction of Woodworms

The feasibility of microwave destruction of woodworms has been assessed, and the lethal temperature of a particular woodworm (Hylotrupes bajulus L.) has been carefully determined. This is a function of larva weight and appears to be confined to a narrow range of few degrees around 52-53-degrees-C. A theoretical model demonstrates that, in typical situations, larvae heated by electromagnetic fields reach temperatures substantially higher than the surrounding wood. Preliminary experiments confirm these results and indicate that a technique based on microwave heating of infested wood can be successfully applied in practice.