AIC 53rd Annual Meeting

Research into the Deathwatch Beetle infestation on HMS Victory led to a unique collaboration between The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN), Cranfield University and The Zoological Society of London (ZSL): London Zoo. Deathwatch beetles are woodboring beetles that are pests to historic timber structures whose lifecycles can span anywhere between 1-13 years. Historic investigations into Deathwatch beetles made use of live cultures of the beetles for observation and experimentation. However, the cultures were never maintained beyond the course of each research period, much to the detriment of our understanding of the species.

A PhD research project was jointly funded by NMRN and Cranfield University to enhance understanding of the Deathwatch Beetle infestation on HMS Victory and explore methods of communicating complex conservation information to the public. During investigations into non-invasive methods of larval detection, it became clear that a live culture for study was sorely needed. There seemed little point, however, to starting a culture, only to have it die out once the research was concluded. The main issue is that the culture needs care and facilities to ensure it is maintained and monitored. Enter London Zoo.

London Zoo is equipped to maintain a culture long-term, and it fits within the normal remit and activities. The presence of specialist knowledge for the establishment and long-term development of the culture is essential. Having the culture in a central location with suitable resources and a vested interest in the long-term survival will enable the future research into Deathwatch Beetle activity and behaviour, but it can also serve as a means of public engagement with a wider audience. Remarkably little is known about the Deathwatch beetle, and knowledge gained from the culture would be useful for NMRN, but also other sites dealing with Deathwatch beetle infestations. Research and investigations could be conducted by students of Cranfield, strengthening existing, and establishing new, research ties. Displaying the culture, with explanations, to the public will bring heritage science research and HMS Victory to the attention of a wider audience that would not usually come across it.

For the Zoo, the use of a wood-boring beetle notorious for its cryptid nature to develop non-invasive means of detection, means that techniques and methods can be investigated and tested on a non-threatened species before being used to detect endangered species, like the Fregate Beetle. Wildlife and heritage conservation, and the science and research behind them, can greatly benefit each other.