The term “bookworm” typically means a person who reads quite a lot.

But there IS an actual bug that goes by that name.

Actually, there are several, none of which are worms.

But some beetles, moths, cockroaches, ants, etc, and – importantly – their larvae – will bore through the pages of a book, causing irreversible damage.

Look at this video by TikTok user @them_yangs:

“One time I saw a girl on here get thrifted books, and the books had bookworms in them,” she begins,

“And she didn’t know and she put them with the rest of her books and they just like tore through all of them.”

“And I saw somebody said that the way you get rid of them is by freezing your books. And from then on I’ve been paranoid, so whenever I get thrifted books – and I found two today – I always freeze them.”

“Usually freeze them for 24 hours. I just put each one in a ziploc bag and then I stick it in the freezer. Anything living in these will no longer be living by the time I get them tomorrow.

“I may be paranoid but I am not losing my books.”

@them_yangs

Did you know book worms are REAL?! #booktok #blackgirlsread #bookish #blackbooktok

♬ original sound – Mrs. Yang

Again, they’re not a specific species, but they are real.

Gotta watch out for those alt books, too.

This burn is absolutely amazing.

That’s why your libraries are like that.

Don’t let ANYBODY or ANYTHING make you lose your books!

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