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Where do booklice come from?
Booklice are tiny indoor insects commonly found in moist and warm places as well as undisturbed sections of the buildings where they feed on molds and fungi. Their outdoor sister species called ‘barklice’ are commonly found in leaves and under tree bark.
So far, 41 families and 5,500 species of Psocids (pronounced sosids) have been described. Even though generally harmless, Psocids can be nuisances if the grow in numbers.
Are Booklice Harmful? Do they bite?
No, booklice are harmless insects to humans, plants and pets. These tiny creatures do not bite and do not cause or transmit diseases.
In their large infestations, booklice can be a menace; they cause destruction to books in shelves, museum and libraries and furnishings, and they can also mild irritation to the skin.
How to get rid of booklice in bedroom?
Getting rid of booklice is necessary particularly when they become a nuisance in their large numbers. They are actually not harmful like true lice and do not feed on papers either, but they rather eat mold in old papers and glue that is used in binding books.
These bugs can be found in moist and humid areas in your home including your bedroom. Although they don’t pose any risk to humans, pests and plants, eradication of booklice from your bedroom can be very difficult. However, eliminating moist condition is crucial for the removal of booklice from your home.
Below are steps you can follow to get rid of booklice from your bedroom.
Step #1 – Understand the booklice – Understanding booklice is the first step in booklice removal because it will help you to identify and know if indeed your home is infested with these creatures. United States has more than 100 species of booklice which are pretty harmless to humans and plants.
These bugs are tiny- about a sixteenth an inch in length and therefore hard to spot. They are prevalent in damp and warm places with fungi and bacteria. They can also be found in food items and that is why they can be found in kitchen. Also note that booklice have no wings hence cannot fly nor even jump.
Steps #2: Remove moisture – The fact that booklice love humid and damp conditions, these bugs live well in moist unventilated areas in your bedroom where molds and fungi grow. On reaching these places, booklice can rapidly increase in numbers as they also reproduce so rapidly.
The solution is to ventilate your bedroom and remove all dampness in the room if you discover they have infested your bedroom. Dispose off any items in your bedroom that could be conducive for their growth and reproduction in order to avoid possible re-colonization of booklice in your bedroom. Besides, also check for books and bottle labels with glue on which they feed on.
Step #3: Clean your bedroom – Clean your bedroom thoroughly using a vacuum with nozzle to reach into crevices. All the surfaces in the bedroom should be cleaned with warm water using a clean rag. Cleanse all the areas and let it dry.
Keep doors of bedroom cabinets open to make them dry and put off all humidifiers in the room. It is also vital to install all ventilations in the room such as extractor fan.
Step #4: Use insecticides – If this method fail to work, you can revert to insecticides to get rid of booklice from your home. There are many insecticide sprays in the market, bur always remember to follow instructions and directions on the label to ensure it works well in removing the bugs from your bedroom.
Step #5: Prevent future attacks– It is important to avoid future booklice attacks in your homes and bedroom. Discovering their breeding ground and keeping them clean could help you to permanently eradicate booklice from your bedroom among other areas.
Possible breeding grounds include mattresses, furniture, cabinets and book collections within your bedroom. Getting rid of these items is crucial and for those items you cannot do without, always keep them clean and dry.
Booklice vs Bed bugs
Most people often confuse booklice for bed bugs because they look similar. Furthermore, booklice are new to most people.
However, unlike bedbugs, booklice are harmless insects and do not feed or bite humans or animals. Instead, they feed on dead matter and in particular molds and fungi.
These bugs are tiny in size and light colored, but unlike booklice that thrive in moist and warm places such as kitchen and bathroom, bedbugs are prevalent in bed frames.
Bed bugs nymphs have less elongated body compared to the body of the booklice which also has three segments. The head is also pronounced and unlike bed bug which appears not to have a neck, booklice nymphs have a clear cut neck.
Booklice in Rice or Flour
As noted earlier, booklice do not pose any significant risk to animals and plants. However, they can spoil foods and bore holes in foods as they seek to hide in there thus causing contamination.
Rice and floor and grains in general provide conducive environment for mold and fungi especially if they are moist which makes them potential breeding grounds for the booklice. These bugs have become a considerable pest infesting grain stores including silos.
However, unlike most other pest that invade grain stores, booklice are difficult to spot because they are very tiny- usually the size of dust specks. In their large numbers, these insects look like a moving dust on grains, sheds and silos.
Booklice Bleach
Booklice bleaches are used to control these tiny crawling insects. They are tiny creatures that crawl on the walls especially in damp places such as bathroom and bookstores. Booklice are found indoors and can be wiped down from homes using oxygen, chlorine and ammonium bleaches.
Other bleaches with dehydrating properties such as hydrogen peroxide can also be used to get rid of booklice from your home and living areas.
Booklice essential oil eradication
Beside bleaches, you can use essential oils to get rid of booklice from your home and garden. These oils are amazing because they are natural and would do no harm to yourself and environment. One particular example is Diatomaceous Earth (DE) which originates from the word ‘diatom’ for organism.
This is a chalk like substance, usually in powder form made from diatoms fossilized over thousands of years. Although harmful to insects because of their dehydrating properties, DE contains no toxic substance and is safe to humans and animals.
These oils are also highly absorbent because they are course and porous. Furthermore, these essential oils can be used by simply sprinkling or spraying them around your home.
Psocid Treatment
Treating psocid infestation is necessary because they can become annoying especially in their huge numbers. These creatures are simple to eradicate using the right products and they are easy to eliminate from your home.
However, some maintenance is necessary in noted areas to prevent their re-occurrence.
Common products used for psocids treatment is PT-565XLO. This product is easy to use with no mess and can also penetrate the cracks and crevices where they love to hide. You can be sure of no mess, just mist the infested areas and it will definitely yield quick positive results.
Sources and References on Psocids Removal
http://bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1219.html http://www.thehippyhomemaker.com/using-essential-oils-home-garden-kill-pests-diy-bugs-b-gone-home-garden-spray/