Know the Signs of Insect Infestation

The following is University of Florida Libraries, Preservation Bulletin 7.1.

Know the Signs of Insect Infestation

Insects likely to infest archives and libraries are numerous. Their patterns of infestation and resultant damage vary not only from species to species but within species, depending on life-cycle stage: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The following list records some signs of infestation.

Without exception, whenever any of these signs is noticed, library staff should gather live samples, insect remains, frass/droppings, etc. for future identification leading to proper treatment of the infestation.

Signs of Insect Infestation

• Live insects most likely found inside and between books and papers or within cracks and crevices of shelves (particularly wooden shelves).
• Insect remains, including whole carcasses, body parts and cast-skins, most likely found on window sills, within the spine of a book, or along the bottoms of books, as well as within cracks and crevices of shelves.
• Frass/Droppings, including black (roach) pellets, "poppy-seed" (termite) pellets, "saw-dust" (dermested or powder-post beetle) pellets, and suspicious piles of fine dust or powder. Frass varies widely in color.
• Wings ranging in size (from 0.5 mm upwards) and color (from clear to dark brown).
• (Fresh) Holes/Tunnels in materials. A "fresh" hole is one which both continues from one page through the next page(s) and is accompanied by frass/droppings if not also live insects.

Library staff are encouraged to examine samples of each of the above as an aid to identification. The Preservation Office collects and maintains samples.

In order to make signs of infestation more apparent and the environment less likely to attract and support insect life, curators and shelvers should dust all window sills and book shelves after regularly scheduled inspections of collection areas and materials.

Examination should be undertaken with reasonable suspicion of infestation. Exercise care in dusting as not to remove evidence of infestation or suspected infestation.

Infestations and suspected infestations should be reported immediately to the Preservation Office.