Pests of Books and Paper - Part Ⅰ These Insects Know How to Digest a Good Book!

摘要

Clean, dry paper by itself is not very appetizing to insects, but books aren't just paper. They can also be made up of leather, cloth, glue, sizing, and starch-all of which can be foods for different kinds of pests. Unfortunately the most valuable books are also the books at greatest risk of insect infestation-old books bound in leather or cloth covers, with handmade papers and dyes made of animal (parchment or vellum) or vegetable matter, and bound with pastes made of flour or rice, or animal-based glues. To insects, these valuable old books are like a smorgasbord of edible parts!