Has it been a while since you’ve played your cello? If you open your cello case and notice that many of your cello bow hairs are falling off and look like they have been cut, you might have bow bugs. Find out more about bow bugs below.

1. Bow bugs, also known as bow mites or museum beetles, come from the dermestidae family of beetles. They thrive in dark, dry places such as closed cello cases, and feed on substances such as bow hair.
2. If you think you have bow bugs, remove your cello and bow from the cello case, thoroughly vacuum the case (especially the cracks and crevices), and leave the case open in indirect sunlight for a few days (leave your cello and bow out of the case during this process). Some individuals have found it helpful to put a few drops of cedar, rosemary or camphor in a compartment of their case after cleaning it, but this a matter of personal preference (the smell bothers some people). If you try this, make sure the oil has dried before putting your cello and bow back in the case.
3. If your bow hairs are heavily damaged, you should have your bow rehaired, and if your case seems heavily infested, even after you've thoroughly cleaned it, you may need to buy a new cello case.
4. The easiest way to avoid bow bugs, is to play your cello often. If you know you won’t be playing your cello for an extended period of time, another simple way to avoid bow bugs is to periodically open your cello case and expose your cello bow and case to indirect sunlight for brief periods of time (never leave your cello in direct sunlight. Extreme heat could melt your cello varnish and damage your instrument).