Booklice
Summary: Booklice belong to a group of insects known as the psocids. Booklice don't bite, but occasionally infest houses to the point that they become a problem.
Booklice are the nerds of the insect world. They are always reading old, musty tomes that haven't been lifted off the shelf in ages. What makes booklice so fond of old books?
Well, actually it is the microscopic mold or mildew that results when books are not sheltered from moisture that attracts the booklice. This is a great food source for book lice. Booklice like warm, dark, damp environments, so stored books can provide shelter and food for them at the same time. Booklice can also be commonly found in furniture, rugs, cupboards and closet. They will
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sometimes be attracted to stored food products like cereals or other grains. The tiny bugs can also live in straw, or the dust that collects on door frames and window sills.
Booklice are very small insects known as psocids. They are usually less than 1/16th of an inch long. They are colorless, grey or light yellow. They have soft bodies, chewing mouthparts and relatively long antennae. The head and abdomen appear large, while their middle section, the thorax, is narrow. This can give them a swollen appearance. Indoor booklice are usually wingless, but outdoor booklice have wings and are often called barklice because they inhabit the bark of trees. They resemble true lice, but booklice are not parasites and they do not live on or bite animals.
Booklice reproduce parthenogenically, which means that the females can produce eggs without ever mating. The eggs are white, oval, and covered with a crusty coating or strands of silk. Booklice live for thirty to sixty days, and their populations grow more quickly during humid weather.
If an outbreak of booklice occurs inside, it is probably due to excessive moisture. Booklice like to feed on mold, so eliminating wet spots created by leaking pipes or air conditioning units can help take away the places the booklice can survive. Adding a fan or dehumidifier to a damp room, along with allowing sunlight in, can help eliminate conditions favorable to booklice. Bring the humidity levels down below 50%.
Booklice will sometimes infest cereals and similar food products that get moldy. If booklice have infested a stored food product you can kill the insects by freezing the product for several days or by heating in the oven at 200 degrees for half an hour. Many pesticides containing pyrethrin or cyfluthrin are available as aerosol sprays, dusts, or emulsifiable concentrates and can be used to kill booklice, as well. Make sure that the pesticide you choose is labeled for crawling insects like booklice, and don't spray or apply pesticides near food or places children play.
Booklice don't damage clothing or furniture, unless those items are moldy, but, nonetheless, a serious infestation can make your skin crawl. Use good hygienic practices like regular dusting and vacuuming to prevent a booklice infestation. For a large infestation that is difficult to control you might want to call a professional pest control service However, if you see just one, perhaps perusing an old copy of Moby Dick, then you might be inspired to pick up and read one of the long-neglected books in your library.
By the way, if booklice have you jumping off the deep end you can hire a company like ThermaPure to heat treat your home. It's expensive, but the heat kills all the stages of the insect including the eggs.
Comments
22 Mar 2010, 03:33
25 Mar 2010, 17:58
26 Mar 2010, 02:14
26 Mar 2010, 14:09
27 Mar 2010, 22:19
Here's advice: get a clear piece of tape and when you see them stick the tape on them to tape them up,then fold the tape in half, and then put in the freezer. When the pest control comes back show him the tape and ask him to take it to a entomologist (bug expert) to examine it under a microscope.
Massey still hasn't contact me, so on Monday I will call the manager again to know what pest I have.
But use the taped up bugs as your SAMPLE to give to the pest company.
Trust me on this, your not alone.
01 Apr 2010, 11:47
02 Apr 2010, 06:00
thanks.
02 May 2010, 04:49
03 May 2010, 23:52
We have just discovered these bugs in our house about a week ago. We had two pest control people come out and finally had to have them identified by an entomologist. We just can not figure out where they are coming from. We have no known leaks in the house and not a large book collection. We are finding them mainly on our bed. We are sleeping in the guest room now. Has anyone heard if they are able to come out of the AC vent? There is one above our bed. We just can't figure it out! We had the house sprayed a couple of days ago but are still seeing them.
04 May 2010, 07:56
06 May 2010, 07:36
06 May 2010, 11:14
Did you ever resolve your infestation? We are in a similar situation. We are running our AC at 60 degrees to hopefully reduce moisture levels. We found some dead in the air vent covers. We had some guys come out and look at the AC unit for mold but they said it looked fine. We're still finding them on the mattress. We're having the exterminator come out and fog the whole house this weekend. (He only sprayed last weekend.) We just can't figure out what they may be feeding on. And to make it worse, it seems that I react to them as I have noticed a rash on me. My husband is fine though.
06 May 2010, 12:54
Remember when I told you I contacted Massey Services to identify the bug? And the manager didn't know what it was so he was going to an entomologist to help him. Well I think he lied because its been over 3 months and they never called. I kept calling the manager and he would never pickup or return my phone call. Finally I told the Massey receptionist my complaint and she gave me the top managers name, and I told her I wasn't playing any games with Massey and that the manager better call.
That's when all of a sudden the manager called me stating: That his entomologist doesn't know what it is (I know he's lying). So I asked him to give me the # of this entomologist but he wouldn't give it to me, then I asked for the samples I gave him and he said that he can't promise he can give me them.
Bottom line is: He lied. He probably didn't believe me when I gave him the samples (which was tape that contained the bugs taped on them) so he probably threw the sample away, and thought that I was going to forget, hence the reason he never called. Its when I threatened Massey, that's when he all of a sudden he calls and comes up with this lie. I don't know what to do.
AS FOR THE BOOKLICE: I thank God that I HARDLY see them. The only time I saw ONE was 2 weeks ago on my room furniture. I used to see them in a bin that my mom put the washed dishes into (I guess they were there because of the moister), but I don't see them anymore. Since its really hot now I guess they left.I really hope that there are no more, but I don't want to have false hope so only time will tell. In a way I don't really know if they are booklice or not (Since the Massey Manager didn't even care to actually have the bugs examined)..and it kinda sucks that I can't really find these bugs anymore to get more samples to get them examine to a REAL endomologist. If I had to do this again, I would gotten an entomologist in the beginning (when there was an infestation of these bugs)so they can thoroughly examine the bugs. Now I can hardly find any bugs to sample.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get an entomologist in your homes to examine what these bugs are, because imagine if they are not booklice, right now although I don't see them anymore, I'm scared that they might come back, and like I said before I'm going to college 9 hours away from my home, so I won't be able to keep an eye out for them, and my family members don't care as much as I do (except my mom, but shes always at work). I really think we should all post our updates here to help each other out. BUT PLEASE get an entomologist in your homes to know EXACTLY what those bugs are.
06 May 2010, 13:14
06 May 2010, 14:56
Other health professionals don't acknowledge Morgellons disease or are reserving judgment until more is known about the condition. Some people who suspect Morgellons disease claim they've been ignored, criticized as delusional or dismissed as fakers. In contrast, some doctors say that people who report signs and symptoms of Morgellons disease typically resist other explanations for their condition.
06 May 2010, 15:20
Thanks for the update. Our exterminator first took them to be identified. Then I wanted a second opinion to be sure so I went to another entomologist myself. I took him many samples and he positively identified them as book lice. But everyone is perplexed as to why they would be in the bedroom. They are normally found near food cupboards or books, etc. We have searched the house up and down. We will have an inspector come out to see if there is a water leak that we don't know of that could posibbly be creating mold. We thought of the air vents but the duct cleaners said they look fine plus they checked the ac unit in the attic and it looked normal. However, the entomologist said the mold could be microscopic. For now we are reducing humidity levels with the AC but we live in a hot and humid area so I don't know how long this will work. I have also seen them in the bathroom and a few in the dining area. If anyone has any other suggestions or experiences please let me know. I read the article at the top of the page and we have done many of those things.
06 May 2010, 15:26
I have Morgellons and the best most enlightened toxicologist in the US with me. So you believe the anecdotal crap from the CDC and the fact that Kaiser is actually running the "study". not to mention tens of thousands of people have photographs of the same exact things in my home and in my body, yet I've never met even ONE of these people. How about that we all can't work because of how it destroys our lives?? Or how about that I am 25 and was VALEDICTORIAN and am NOT crazy in fact have an ABOVE average IQ. SO WHY divert these peoples attention from the fact that this SWARMING effect in the home is WITH them, and is from hormones we secrete from the NANO disease, and that some of these are real bugs and some are man made. But either wway there are hundreds of bugs that come with this disease, of both kinds, and exterminators need to start being honest about the global trend. This is a public health epidemic.
Brandi
06 May 2010, 15:36
06 May 2010, 17:00
06 May 2010, 17:23
06 May 2010, 18:26
06 May 2010, 18:27
And to be honest I went psycho on these bugs, but the less I see, the more calm I am, and I sometimes forget I have the problem. So I truly believe in the saying time will heal. But like I said before I hardly see them so say if one day I come home from college and see an infestation again I don't think I would go psycho, but I will get stressed and call an entomologist to look at it. BUT right now I'm working on prevention, by not leaving any mold, but I don't have a dehumidifier and I hardly see the bugs...
be patient and what did the pest control/entomologist tell you to do?
BECAUSE Massey "apparently" don't know what the bugs are (cause he probably threw the sample away, instead of sending it to a bug expert). But I see that you have people who care about what bugs they are, so can you tell me what advice they gave you?
06 May 2010, 18:35
No offense butI don't think your theory pertains to me. My family members see these bugs and they have no symptoms of itching. I have eczema,but I KNOW for a fact that its not the bugs that you say come from my body. These bugs didn't come out of no where, they came because I had an expired bread on my cabinet that I hid form my brothers (because they always take my food), but unbeknown to me I COMPLETELY forgot it was there until I saw a whole bunch of dust all around that particular furniture. When I looked closely they were moving. and when I put a pen down all of a sudden they were on it (reproducing fast, I think).
So I KNOW it didn't come from my body (it came because of the mold), because then it would of been on my bed, couch, ect. It was only on my furniture, but spread because my mom freaked out and was cleaning out my room and but my items on other places of the house, making the bugs spread around.
06 May 2010, 18:36
carnicom.com
staningerreport.com
bariumblues.com
educate-yourself.org
06 May 2010, 18:49
Give me the symptoms.
And what if those bugs are booklice?
Where does your logic come in?
BEGINNING of Morgellon infection? Please tell me the first steps into this disease and how does that pertain to me and the other posters on here?
New World Order? I know what that is but please tell me what this has to do with that.
06 May 2010, 20:26
07 May 2010, 00:10
I never seen walking hairs in my life. I really and truly know for a fact I don't have this disease. (because like I said earlier these bugs never existed till I left bread running in my cabinet for too long to the point it was REALLY moldy).
I will be praying for you. I believe you when you state your experiences, and I hope I don't ever have it. But you need to understand that these bugs ONLY came because of the mold I have...and they are decreasing in my house because I'm keeping everything neat and tidy. Also I think its because of the season changing as well, but like I said earlier only time will tell.
As for you, like I said earlier I believe you. You can never trust the govt, and you can't always trust doctors.
And my eczema was diagnosed since I was 3 months old, and lived up north. Yet I have NEVER experienced those bugs until the mold that was in my cabinet for too long. The bugs decreased too so, like I said earlier I KNOW for a fact its not the disease. And my parents aren't itching or anything like that. My family still seem to be VERY healthy and normal.
I respect your opinion and appreciate the fact that you are trying to educate us. Thank you, but please know that all of these posters are most likely talking about booklice.
I never knew about that particular disease so thank you for educating me.
PLEASE go to a professional and tell them your experiences, I think your a rally interesting person.BUT I do fear for your health mentally, physically, emotionally etc. and I think you should sleep because its really important. I don't want this to take over your life. And I really think it is taking over your life. Please enjoy your life and seek help. Never give up. I'm praying for you.
10 May 2010, 00:51
10 May 2010, 08:57
10 May 2010, 13:36
But is it a good thing or bad thing? I mean I am grateful is not hundreds like before but I'm scared it could get to that.
10 May 2010, 13:47
Everyone in this room can keep ignoring me and world renknowned researches and Industrial Toxicologists that I work with, but if you have even 1 SHRED of curiousity as to what it is invading your home, LOOK UP the stuff I posted before. They are NANO technology insects being droppped from the aerial spray programs our gv'ts run over the world including Project Shield, DARPA, weather control Warfare, creation of electromagnetic field sky for whatever knows but causes all EMF field and fiber optic objects to emit dangerous radition and micro-waves, GMO continuation of water and soil for food control, HAARP, and Weapons of mass Destruction.. These bugs ARE 'technically" not 'alive" but they are very much functioning robotic like bugs. They are all over my house and tens of thousands in the US and other countries KNOW what they are, but MILLIONS of others have all this stuff in their home, food, clothing, water, BODIES, etc....and just have no clue what they are looking at...more correctly NO ONE is paying ATTENTION. and of Course, that is what they rely on.
10 May 2010, 14:52
Stop badgering my visitors. We got your message.
11 May 2010, 15:43
So is that a good sign that they are going away? or can they become hundreds like they were before?
11 May 2010, 16:41
09 Jun 2010, 17:40
13 Jun 2010, 22:28
We don't have a lot of money so hiring a professional help is a big financial burden on us.
*sigh*
*sigh*
14 Jun 2010, 07:20
29 Jun 2010, 12:48
20 Jul 2010, 11:01
03 Aug 2010, 22:14
Charity
04 Aug 2010, 07:05

