Regarding 'tea insects,' we should divide them into two types,

One is the small white insects that everyone often sees, and the other is small gray-black insects.

In fact, what we see more often are the small white insects. These insects are not 'tea insects' that eat tea leaves; they are only 'paper insects' that like to eat the packaging paper. The other gray-black insects are the real 'tea insects.' It is understood that these 'tea insects' only eat tea leaves. Unfortunately, very few people in the market have seen this kind of insect.

【Paper Insects】

Small white insects, people in the market call them 'paper insects.' As for which species of insect the 'paper insect' belongs to in entomology, it is really difficult for an outsider to identify. In the market, it is not hard to find that the paper packaging of some Anhua dark tea and Pu-erh tea has various small holes. People in the industry call these small holes 'insect eyes.' These 'insect eyes' are caused by paper insects. Fortunately, these small insects only like to eat paper, so they do not have much impact on the quality of the tea. That being said, they still need to be dealt with. To handle these 'paper insects,' it is very simple: first brush the tea leaves clean with a brush, and then store your beloved tea in a ventilated, dry place.

【Tea Insects】

Real 'tea insects' are gray-black, have a short life cycle, and mostly die in the tea. Over time, they integrate with the tea leaves. According to some old tea masters, 'tea insects' are extremely beneficial. They appear in some high-quality finished dark teas, specialize in eating tea, and prefer to consume good tea. After death, they become part of the tea. It is said that tea brewed with them has excellent infusion color, taste, and durability.

Dark tea insects, also known as tea borers, initially have larvae that are milky white. Later, the insect body color gradually darkens to brown, gray, and finally black. Tea insects move relatively quickly. Different colors represent different morphological stages at different ages of the tea borer. Tea insects generally have a short life cycle and, over time, blend in with the tea.

Reasons for insects in dark tea: They tend to grow in storage environments with high humidity and suitable temperatures. When the humidity is less than 55%, they generally disappear naturally. Packaging that has not been chemically treated provides a safe environment for insect reproduction.

Are tea insect bodies harmful to health? Tea insects specifically eat good tea and are more common in many types of dark tea. They generally occur in dark tea that has high-quality raw materials, rich content, and no chemical residues. These insects have no negative impact on the quality of dark tea. On the contrary, their bodies are beneficial to human health. Additionally, tea insects are also one of the markers used by tea enthusiasts to identify aged tea. To some extent, tea insects can participate in metabolism and help in the aging process of dark tea. They can be consumed along with the tea.