TIL That There Are Bugs That Eat Horn

[mingc]

I just saw this on pipe maker Chris Askwith's Instagram: a picture of a beetle eating a horn shank extension! http://instagr.am/p/B3eCGGvHbb0/ Make sure yours are safe! Your horn extensions, that is, not your horn eating bugs. ?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Yep, I've seen many a worm tunnel on old horn items.

 

[mikethompson]

Yikes! Imagine finding that on your rack!

 

[Chasing Embers]

All my horn adorned pipes are long gone though I may have to check my ivory, tooth, and bone accents. I've never seen any carpet beetles around here so I'm probably safe.

 

[mso489]

I guess most materials having protean content are edible and digestible by some other living creature. People certainly take part in this quest for calories and nutrients. This makes my faux horn ferrule pipe look especially good. Those Vuillard people knew what they were doing.

 

[mso489]

Maybe they should call the bug the horn pipe beetle. Do you suppose it could dance a little?

 

[jaytex1969]

Some of them can read, also. I once opened my linen closet to find that something had begun eating a bar of Ivory soap... ?