Booklice (Tony Willis, Wikimedia Commons)
Booklice (David Sheltar, Ohio State University, Bugwood.org)
Barklice (Wikimedia Commons)
Identification
- minute: 1/25 - 1/13 inch long
- booklice found outdoors may be larger, up to 1/4 inch
- very common in pest monitors; look like small specks (use hand lens to identify)
- may have wings or not
- other species of psocids are called barklice
Nesting Habits
- prefer warm, humid or damp places
- can be found around damp books, around leaking/sweating pipes, in voids, in cardboard boxes or anywhere where mold growth can be supported
- barklice live outdoors on/under bark, grass, leaves, damp wood, etc.
Diet
- mold spores
- may feed on fungal spores on stored food products
Significance
- nuisance pest indoors
- indicator of moisture issues
IPM Recommendations
- Reduce relative humidity within trouble areas.
- Vacuum.
- Remove leaf litter from around the exterior of structures.
- Store food items in pest-proof containers.
Additional Resources:
Booklice and Their Relatives fact sheet
IPM for Silverfish, Firebrats, and Booklice: Integrated Pest Management in Sensitive Environments (University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension)