A massive infestation of drugstore beetles is threatening a historic 1,000-year-old book collection at the Pannonhalma Archabbey in Hungary. Restoration workers are removing approximately 100,000 handbound books for disinfection to save them from the beetles, which can damage leather and book bindings. The archabbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, houses the country's oldest and most important book collection.
Destructive bug infestation threatens historic 1,000-year-old book collection
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️A massive infestation of drugstore beetles is threatening a historic 1,000-year-old book collection at the Pannonhalma Archabbey in Hungary. Restoration workers are removing approximately 100,000 handbound books for disinfection to save them from the beetles, which can damage leather and book bindings. The archabbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, houses the country's oldest and most important book collection.
- 1 996: The Pannonhalma Archabbey was founded.
- 2 13th century: A complete Bible, part of the collection, was created.
- 3 Ongoing: A destructive insect infestation by drugstore beetles has been detected in several parts of the library.
- 4 Ongoing: Restoration workers are removing approximately 100,000 handbound books to begin a disinfection process.
- Thousands of historic books are in jeopardy
- Potential loss of cultural heritage
- Extensive disinfection process required
What: A destructive bug infestation (drugstore beetles) is threatening a historic 1,000-year-old book collection at the Pannonhalma Archabbey.
When: Unspecified (ongoing infestation), 996 (Pannonhalma Archabbey founded), 13th century (Bible).
Where: Pannonhalma Archabbey, Hungary.
Why: Drugstore beetles (also called cigarette beetles) are infesting and damaging the books by feeding on paste, leaves, and bindings.
How: Restoration workers are removing approximately 100,000 handbound books for a disinfection process; the entire collection is classified as infected and must be treated simultaneously.