Can Pests Damage Your Game Collection?

When we think of threats to our prized collections, the usual suspects like dust, moisture, and sunlight come to mind. However, there’s a more insidious danger lurking in the shadows: paper-eating insects. These tiny invaders can wreak havoc on everything from old magazines and trading cards to rare books and complete in box video games.

🪲 Can Pests Damage Your Game Collection?

Many retro collectors overlook how easy it is for insects to destroy manuals, packaging, and inserts and other precious collectables. Small holes, frayed edges, and yellowing are signs that your items may be under attack. Over time, this damage can lead to the complete destruction of irreplaceable collectibles, as our friend and fellow collector Nacho discovered when woodworm larvae gnawed through his Games and Pokémon card collection!

Damage to CIB items

Even if the contents inside are untouched, damage to the outer box is enough to ruin a collection and seriously reduce collector value.

Damage to Game Booklets

You might open a game box one day and find pages stuck together, partially eaten, or speckled with brown spotting from insect waste. Manuals, inserts, sleeves or even covers can fall victim of pests!

Damage to TCG Cards

Trading card games like Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, and Yu-Gi-Oh! may not be the first targets for insects—but that doesn’t mean they’re safe. Pests can slip into card boxes and chew edges or surface layers, leaving visible damage, curled corners, or tiny marks.

Damage to Special editions

This kind of damage hits especially hard. For instance Nacho’s prized collection was stored in a wooden cabinet that had become infested with woodworms. Special editions, Complete in Box games, rare consoles like Pikachu’s N64 CIB fell victim of this catastrophe.

🚨 Identify Paper-eating Pests

Several types of insects pose a significant threat to paper and cardboard items. The damage caused by these insects is often subtle at first, making it easy to overlook until it’s too late.

Silverfish

Known for their love of starchy materials, silverfish feed on paper, glue, and book bindings. They can leave behind small holes, yellow stains, and irregular bite marks.

Cockroaches

Don’t eat cardboard, but their secretions can stain packaging, and they often infest consoles — especially in warm, dusty spaces.

Woodworms (actually beetle larvae)

Though commonly associated with wood, certain species of woodworm larvae can also bore into paper and cardboard. If your collections are stored in wooden furniture or containers, an infestation could easily spread to the contents within.

🛡️ How to Protect you Collection Against Pests

Preventing insect infestations is key to preserving your paper and cardboard items. Here are some essential steps:

✅ Maintain a Dry Environment

Most paper-eating insects thrive in damp, humid conditions. Keeping your storage area dry and well-ventilated is crucial.

🌡️ Control Temperature

Most pests thrive in temperatures above 24°C (75°F) and humidity above 60%. Keeping your room between 18–24°C (64–75°F) and 30–50% relative humidity discourages insect activity and mold growth.

🍪 Keep Food and Trash Away

Food, crumbs, and sticky residues are all strong invitations for bugs to invade—and stay.

🗃️ Proper Storage

Store your items in protective cases that are sealed and resistant to both moisture and pests. Archival-quality boxes, plastic sleeves, and protective cases can create a barrier against insects.

🧹 Keep the Area Clean

Wipe down shelves, drawers, and nearby surfaces regularly—especially in closed cabinets or game rooms with little airflow.

🔎 Regular Inspections

Regularly check your collection for signs of insect activity. Look for small holes, bite marks, and any visible pests. Check behind shelves, under boxes, and around seams for signs of insect activity—like tiny holes, droppings, or shed skins.

🎯 Final Thoughts

By taking these preventive measures, you can safeguard your collection from the silent threat of paper-eating insects and ensure that your treasured items remain in pristine condition for years to come.

📚 Sources

• Special thanks to Nacho, friend and game collector- for sharing his story and pics. Our condolences.
• https://aptivepestcontrol.com/pests/
• https://www.archives.org.uk/collections-care-toolkit/