Species that affect collection material can be between 2-6mm long.īorers chew through wood, paper and books and leave networks of tunnels with perfectly round exit holes. There are many species of borer beetles that infest wood, including furniture beetle, drugstore beetle and powderpost beetle. They are also attracted to glues, binders and paper sizing.īooklice are usually very tiny (less than 1mm in length) and are a slightly transparent brown colour. Silverfish have a “nymph” stage rather than a larval stage – that is, the young silverfish just hatched from its egg looks exactly like an adult, only much smaller.īooklice graze on microscopic moulds that grow on the surface of paper-based material, leaving surface damage similar to that caused by silverfish. Silverfish prefer quite humid conditions, but may migrate from their damp breeding spaces into collection spaces. They especially like to feed on glues and adhesives. Silverfish can grow up to about 7mm in length. Silverfish are long, silver-coloured insects that often graze on the surface of paper-based material. When at rest their wings are folded along their back. The adult moths of both species are small and grey-brown, and tend to “scuttle” rather than fly. The larvae of the webbing clothes moth leave trails of webbing mixed with dirt and droppings behind them, which makes them a much “messier” infestation. This can make them very difficult to spot, as they blend into the object’s surface. The larvae of the case-making moth form their “cocoons” from the material of the object on which they are feeding. They often prefer to feed on soiled or dirty areas of the object. The larvae tend to feed on protein-based material such as wool, silk and fur. The larvae of the clothes moth resemble small hairy caterpillars, and eat trails through collection material until they are ready to pupate into adults. In both kinds, it is the larval form that does the most damage. ![]() There are two main kinds of clothes moth. You may notice an influx after the spring breeding season. The larvae of carpet beetles (short, hairy caterpillar-like things) tend to feed on protein-based material such as silk, wool, fur, feathers and animal specimens.Īdult carpet beetles often find their way into buildings through windows, chimneys and roof spaces. One of the most common is the varied carpet beetle, which has a round shape covered with a pattern of grey and gold scales and is typically about 2-3mm long. The descriptions will help you to decide what you have found. These insects are those that represent the greatest risk to collections. ![]() Correctly identifying insects enables you to determine if the pest poses a problem to the collections and to choose the most appropriate treatment and control methods. When you are faced with an infested item or collection, it is important to identify what insect you are dealing with.
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