Warm weather brings insects indoors, through gaps you did not know your house had. Most are harmless. A few feed on paper, glue and the moulds that grow on them, and they can damage your photographs, including those in frames. Here are the commonest culprits and how to deal with them.
Booklice
Booklice are tiny, pale, wingless insects, only a millimetre or two long. They feed on the microscopic mould that grows on damp paper, and on the starch in book bindings, wallpaper paste and the backs of old photos. You are most likely to notice the insects themselves, moving on a damp wall or inside a frame.
They need moisture, so the cure is to keep things dry. Store paper where there is plenty of ventilation and no condensation. Anything that lowers humidity helps: opening windows, using extractor fans, not drying washing indoors, and running a dehumidifier.
Treatments are sold for booklice, and pest control firms will deal with a serious infestation, but unless you tackle the damp they will come back.
Cockroaches
Two species of cockroach are common in the UK. The Oriental cockroach is dark brown and up to about 30mm long. The German cockroach is smaller, about 12mm, and a light yellowish-brown. It has wings but rarely flies.
Cockroaches are dirty, carry disease and eat almost anything. They will eat paper and glue given the chance, though they are more interested in food.
If you have cockroaches, call a professional pest control company straight away. They breed quickly and are hard to get rid of without expert help.
Moths
The damage is done by the larvae, the small caterpillars of clothes moths, not by the adult moths. They feed mainly on wool, silk and other natural fibres, so they are a threat to framed textiles, tapestries and needlework, and to fabric-covered mounts, more than to paper itself.
The signs are small holes and fine silk webbing. Vacuum thoroughly, including the edges of carpets and inside cupboards, and check anything made of fabric. For a large infestation, call a pest control company.
Silverfish
Silverfish are silvery, fast and about a centimetre long, and they come out at night. Their favourite foods are old books, glue and wallpaper. They graze on the surface of paper and leave it rough and ragged, with irregular holes, and sometimes yellowish stains.
Like booklice, they need damp, so finding a lot of them means there is a moisture problem somewhere: a leaking pipe under the floor, perhaps, or poor ventilation, often made worse by drying washing indoors.
They love dark cupboards full of unread books, photograph albums, scrapbooks and cardboard, where it is dark and humid and there is plenty to eat.
The best remedy is a good vacuum cleaner, used in the places that are usually missed. Pull the sofa away from the wall, roll back the rug and vacuum along the skirting boards with a crevice tool.
One thing is in your favour: silverfish do not climb smooth surfaces well. Pictures hung at eye level are usually out of their reach. Pictures leaning against a wall at floor level are not, so think again about where you keep them, and check from time to time that nothing has got inside the frame.
How framing helps
A well-made frame is a good defence. With the back sealed with tape, insects cannot easily get in. If you see insects, or their damage, inside a frame, take the picture out, brush it clean, and have it remounted and resealed.
Conclusion
If you notice any of these insects near your photos, act at once, because they can do a great deal of damage if left alone. Vacuum, reduce the damp, and call a professional if there are many of them. Our made-to-measure picture frames will keep your photos sealed and protected.
Call EasyFrame on 01234 856 501 or email sales@easyframe.co.uk. We are happy to talk it through even if you do not want to buy.