Discusses a new method of fighting insects that are destructive to wood in works of art or cultural heritage. The works are placed in a sealed, airtight foil bag; the exterminating agent used is inert nitrogen maintained at a slight overpressure by continuous scavenging of at least 98% volume following displacement scavenging. Few materials are required in this method. It is inexpensive, does not harm the object, and conservators can apply it themselves. Hitherto, the control test specimens have shown that the larvae of the common furniture beetle (<i>Anobium punctatum</i>) and the house longhorn beetle (<i>Hylotrupes bajulus</i>) are 100% eradicated following a three-week treatment with nitrogen at 35°C.