J.CAC VOLUME 40 (2015)
Slugs as Potential Pests of Paper
An instance of damage to paper by slugs is presented in this report. Slugs were found in the basement of the National Research Restoration Centre of Ukraine in Odessa. The room appeared to have optimal indoor conditions; however, upon further examination it was found that slugs were inhabiting a microclimate zone, where a large amount of condensation was observed on the cold water pipes. The slugs had damaged newspapers, softcover books, and paper envelopes containing photos. It appears that they ate paper with food, oils and other contamination in the absence of their usual food sources. The slug damage resulted in holes and other losses in the paper as well as contamination by mucus tracks and excrement. Given this, we can conclude that slugs are potential pests of works of art on paper that are stored in damp basements and ground floors.
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