The chemical aspect of the destruction of oak wood by powder post and death watch beetles—Lyctus spp. and Xestobium sp.

Abstract

The analysis of sound English oak sapwood differs very little from that of Lyctus frass from the oak sapwood if both pass through a 120-mcsh screen. The death watch beetle frass from English oak heartwood has a lower content of cellulose and pentosan than the original wood. The alkali solubility is doubled.