Pitot heat is always OFF on the ground to avoid overheating.
I wonder what level of applied heating would create a sufficiently hostile nesting environment for insects building nests within the tubes, and still not lead to damage of the pitot tube itself ?
Obviously research is required, and it is always simpler to ensure removal before flight. But that didn't work here for reasons that require investigation. The problem has been around since pitot tubes were introduced, and the BUSS is a good backup.
Would a small amount of heating prevent nesting?
PJ2