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What's been eating my book?

I live in the south of France. I recently bought a second hand book. Half way through reading it I discovered that a small section, near the spine, had been eaten away in a series of tunnels. I assumed it might be a bookworm but I don’t really know what they are or if they live in France. I later discovered a very small red spider on the book and squished it hastily, in case it was the culprit. (Squish first, ask questions later, I’m afraid.) But I do think something worm-like or maggot-like is more likely.

My questions are: could it have been the tiny spider? If not, what are the other possibilities? Are they likely to have got into my other books in the two weeks when the book was on my shelf?

Thanks.

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Answer #1

I collect antique linens and there are such a thing as linen mites that eat tiny holes. Sometimes they look like little rust stains. Some old books have linen pages, maybe that is it. Unlike linens where the bugs can escape, maybe they can be trapped in the book and try to tunnel out or maybe they just like the taste of the binding glue.

Answer #2

Hi,

Well there isn’t a real “bookworm”. The word is used as a generalization for any insect which bores through books.

According to Wikipedia, actual book-borers are uncommon. Both the larvae of the death watch beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum) and the common furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum) will tunnel through wood and if paper is nearby they will pass into that.

The bookworm moth (Heliothis zea or H. virescens) and its larvae are not interested in books. The larvae are pests for cotton or tobacco growers as the cotton bollworm or tobacco budworm.

So it was likely the tiny spider, which may actually be a furniture beetle or death watch beetle. And if it was one of those, check out the wood in your home as well. :>(

Answer #3

I had a worm eat 1 of my books bfor but it could of been the spider too.

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