What are booklice and where do they come from?
Booklice are tiny insects that live in books and are often found in the most unexpected of places – from residential homes to offices, and even to museums!
They are also called psocids, barklice, and paperlice. Booklice are usually about 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch long, although they can grow to about 1/4 inch.
When they live in books, booklice resemble their larger cousins, spiders and crickets. They feed on the binding of the pages, and when they feel like the book is full they “shed” their bodies into the pages, leaving behind a pale, brown powder.
Why are they a problem? Booklice are somewhat unusual in that their bodies do not have any venom. The nature of their food and the fact that they are an order of insects that bite, however, makes them one of the most painful insect species to encounter. In humans, the bites can be quite painful. Fortunately, the bites are not dangerous, and neither are the booklice. However, they can certainly be uncomfortable and annoying.
Booklice often seek out dark or isolated places for hiding, which can make them harder to find and remove.
What are the signs that booklice are in your home?
If you are concerned about booklice in your home, it is best to clean your home thoroughly and thoroughly vacuum any areas where booklice may have been. If you have already been living in your home for a while and notice lice crawling or jumping on your sofa or other furniture, then there is a very good chance booklice are already in your home.
Booklice are looking for a warm, dry and cosy place to live, as well as plenty of food to eat. They will often travel to dark, warm places such as cupboards, wood piles and inside of your home. They do not usually look for the best conditions, as they are not picky. The best they can do is wait to find a place in which to live.
How to get rid of booklice
Here’s how to get rid of booklice in your home. The first thing you should do is to make sure that your home is bug-free. Make sure to remove any fallen leaves, pine needles, and other plant litter that may contain the eggs and young of these tiny pests.
The most effective way to get rid of booklice is by vacuuming the surfaces where they live. Unfortunately, this method does have a drawback. If you accidentally vacuum your bed sheets, you may be at risk of inhaling the eggs and larvae of booklice. This would cause you to become ill, so be sure to take precautions.
If your home is infested, you’ll want to buy a bottle of chemical insecticide or a small bottle of biological insecticide. These products can be bought at any drug store.
Greencare Pest Control also provides booklice control in Singapore.
Conclusion
Biology just goes to show that no matter how hard you try, you cannot entirely prevent them from breeding in your environment. The safest way to minimize your chances of encountering them in your home is to always make sure that your books are meticulously stored away.
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