What damage to materials can insects cause?
Insects’ eating habits are astounding. They do attack our food stocks, but they are also capable of making use of virtually any organic substance. Moth larvae and cabinet beetles will consume fabrics, furs and carpets. On the other hand silver fish and cockroaches will eat practically anything. Even wallpaper, glue and leather are not safe from their ravages. The owners of antiques fear the death-watch beetle, whose larvae can rapidly ruin valuable furniture with their voracious appetite. The feeding habits of the wood borers are especially dangerous, as their larvae can for instance eat away wooden roof joists.
