“Bookworm” is a phrase often used to describe someone who enjoys reading books. While the term is endearing, people may not realize that a bookworm is also an actual insect. No, not the cute cartoon inchworm wearing glasses and a bow tie. A literal bug that is anything but cute—and one woman is horrified by the discovery. Taryn Delanie Smith took to social media to share that she recently discovered that “bookworm” was more than a term of endearment. The shocked woman explained that after showing off her antique book collection online, comments poured in. People were telling her to be careful and look out for bookworms. Bookworm and bookworm damage. Photo credit: Dominic Mason/Wikimedia Commons This warning prompted Smith to look into what people were saying, since she was unaware that an insect by that name existed. What she discovered in her research scarred both her and unsuspecting viewers alike. “I love collecting old, dusty, smelly books, and I just think it’s really cool. It’s like a random, stupid, niche thing about me,” Smith says in an Instagram Reel while resting her hand on a stack of old books. That’s when she reveals that someone told her to check her thrifted books for bookworms, before adding, “because I thought that was just a term of endearment for people that liked books.” Old books. Photo credit: Canva Smith grows animated, loudly saying, “You mean to tell me there’s an actual insect called a bookworm?” She covers her mouth with her hand as she looks on in horror at pictures of the small, yellowish, clear bugs eating holes through a book’s pages. The now-grossed-out woman looks at her dusty books with disgust as she wonders aloud whether they’re harboring the small insects. View this post on Instagram She demands to know if she was the only person unaware that bookworms are actual insects. She was not. Bookworms are not common knowledge, according to commenters: “Literally have a degree in literature and this is news to me” “You know what sometimes I think we have enough information” “nah because what do you mean i now have to go through the hundreds of books i own?” “OMG TARYN NO I could have gone my whole life without knowing this but now that I know, I’m equal parts grateful and HORRIFIED ” “Say what now?!?! How big/ small are these buggers?? Is a magnified glass needed or can the naked eye spot them?!?! Ay dios mío ” “Omg omg omg i must burn all of my books with fire I fear ” Old book with bookworm damage. Photo credit: Ragesoss/Wikimedia Commons Bookworms don’t actually refer to just one insect, though. According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the term “bookworm” is used to describe hundreds of different insects that feed on books: “[The insects include] booklouse, silverfish, powderpost beetle, spider beetle, common furniture beetle, Mexican book beetle, paper worm (larvae of the paper beetle or moth), and larder beetle. These insects are not necessarily interested in eating paper, but they can damage paper in their attempts to reach other materials. They actively feed on leather and cloth bindings, starch paste, animal glues, paper, and cardboard, creating tunnels and holes through these materials.” A woman reading an old book. Photo credit: Canva One librarian who viewed Smith’s Reel offered advice for buying old books: “Librarian here. We have a whole machine we ‘cook’ the books for days if any sign of a bug is found. I would not trust freezing them. Actually I would call your local Library and ask for advice! Hopefully you are all good though. The first step is to flip through and if you see any bugs or little bits of flecks all over that kind of look like dirt, put that book outside in the garage.” The post Shocked woman learns bookworms are real insects. Now everyone is horrified. appeared first on Upworthy.