A MODEL FOR TIME-TEMPERATURE-MORTALITY RELATIONSHIPS FOR EGGS OF THE WEBBING CLOTHES MOTH, TINEOLA-BISSELLIELLA (LEPIDOPTERA, TINEIDAE), EXPOSED TO COLD

The lethal effect of cold temperatures in the range of -20 to 0-degrees-C was studied for eggs of two strains of the webbing clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella (Hummel). No significant difference in cold tolerance was found between the strains. The eggs, the developmental stage most tolerant to cold, required an estimated 15 hr at -20-degrees-C for 99.99% mortality. The results were well described by a model, based on the theory of chemical reaction kinetics, that expresses the mortality distribution as a function of exposure time and reciprocal of absolute temperature. The model was compared to published data and models of temperature tolerance for a range of insect species. Recalculation of those data showed that the model described mortality from exposure either to cold and heat well. Estimated exposure times needed to accomplish specified levels of mortality in cold disinfestation treatments, used against T. bisselliella eggs were closely similar to those observed.