FACT SHEET

Agriculture and Natural Resources

HYG-2080-09

Booklice and Psocids

David Shetlar
Entomology
The Ohio State University

B ooklice are occasionally known as paperlice.

These flat, tiny insects may crawl in noticeable
numbers over stored papers, books, walls, furniture,
often have short wings that look like flat scales arising
from the thorax. Most psocids feed on microscopic
molds and mildews associated with high‑humidity
and other materials in damp, warm, undisturbed areas conditions. Other species of psocids live outdoors and
in buildings. Sometimes, outbreaks occur in newly these are often called barklice due to their habit of
constructed dwellings when new lumber or plastered clustering on the bark of trees, especially trees with
walls increase interior humidity and promote mold lichen or surface algal growth. Booklice and barklice
growth. Booklice are merely one type of insects called do not bite humans or animals, spread disease, or
psocids (insect order Psocoptera). True booklice are damage household furnishings. However, when high
very flat and have no wings but other psocids that may numbers are present, their body remains and feces
be found in buildings are more rounded and these can cause allergies that may result in skin irritation
or respiratory problems.

e Identification
Booklice are minute, soft‑bodied, transparent to
grayish‑white insects about 1/32 to 3/16 inch (1 to 4
mm) long, usually wingless, and may go unnoticed.
s) It is helpful to use a hand lens and flashlight for de‑
tection. The head and abdomen appear large, while
the thorax (midsection) is narrow. The antennae are
long, threadlike, and segmented. All psocids have
chewing mouthparts and large eyes that protrude
from the sides of the head. The young appear almost
Common Name Scientific Name colorless, becoming more opaque with age. They run
Booklice Liposcelis corrodens along exposed surfaces in a jerky, halting manner,
Barklice Trogium spp. and sometimes appear to hop. Outdoor psocids may
Psocids Lachesilla spp. be winged or wingless. If winged, they are weak fliers
Psyllipsocus spp. and hold the wings in a roof‑like position over the
Lepinotus spp.
body when at rest.

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 Booklice and Psocids—page 2

breaks. Damp basements, crawl spaces, leaky and

sweating plumbing, house plants, cereal, flour, bird
nests, furniture stuffing of natural plant fibers, paste
on book bindings, grains, wallpaper, etc. may also
harbor or support booklice. Booklice have been a
regular problem in doctor’s offices, museums, and
libraries where paper and paper products are stored
or filed.

Control Measures
Lowering the relative humidity hinders develop‑
ment or causes death due to desiccation (drying out).
Effort should be made to reduce the relative humid‑
ity in rooms and buildings to less than 50 percent,
thereby drying out infested materials, and eliminating
A deathwatch psocid, a common rounded psocid that can
be found on basement walls or other damp places. It has a
the food source such as molds and mildews.
strange habit of tapping its abdomen on loose paper to make
Prevention
a soft drumming sound! (Photo: D. Shetlar)
Use a vacuum cleaner with proper attachments
to remove debris from cracks and corners of storage
Life Cycle and Habits areas. Clean up spilled food stuffs such as cereals and
Booklice are all females and development occurs flour. Foods stored for six months or more sometimes
from unfertilized eggs (parthenogenesis). Females become infested especially in damp, dark, warm,
deposit an average of 60 eggs over their life span that undisturbed habitats.
are white, oval, and covered with a crusty coating. Infested cereals or stored foods can be discarded
Eggs are laid singly or in clusters near a food source or supercooled in a deep freeze at 0°F for seven days.
where young white nymphs hatch and feed on molds Books, papers, or upholstered furniture can be dried
and mildews. There are four to six nymphal stages in sunlight. Ventilate and dry areas with a dehumidi‑
with the immatures resembling the adults in form
and structure. The life cycle, from egg to adult, takes
four weeks to two months or more depending on
environmental conditions. There may be seven to
eight generations per year with adults dying in cold
weather and eggs hatching the following spring.
Booklice avoid light and prefer temperatures of 75
to 85°F with relative humidities of 75 to 90 percent.
Long periods of humid weather, accompanied by
warmth, favor outbreaks.
These insects feed on microscopic molds, fungi,
dead insect fragments, pollen, and other starchy
foods found in humid environments such as houses,
warehouses, libraries, and structures where green
lumber is stored or used. Following recent construc‑
tion where new lumber has been used, water vapor
can condense in wall voids that encourage molds A cluster of adult barklice on the trunk of a tree.
and mildews, thereby encouraging booklouse out‑ (Photo: D. Shetlar)

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 Booklice and Psocids—page 3

ter, vines, and other debris from around building

foundations including ground‑level window wells.
Install a vapor barrier in the crawl space or add ad‑
ditional ventilation in the crawl space or basement.
Regrade wet areas around the building and install a
drainage tile system to handle rain runoff in problem
areas. Seal cracks in interior and exterior foundation
walls and repair leaking rain gutters, down spouts,
roof vents, and roofs. Allow damp firewood to dry
outside before bringing indoors.

Some true booklice adults feeding on a piece of cracker. Insecticides

(Photo: D. Shetlar) Normally chemical control is not needed if strict
sanitation is practiced. Booklice cause negligible
fier or fan, or simply open the doors of a damp room. damage to structures or books. They are a nuisance
Infestations will usually disappear during late autumn by their presence, especially when large populations
when rooms are artificially heated and kept dry. Even occur. Some apply mothball flakes, naphthalene
with a new structure containing green lumber and or paradichlorobenzene in infested closets or file
freshly plastered walls, enough drying occurs after cabinets. Household products that control mold
one season of heating so that infestations rarely occur and mildew will reduce the food source of booklice.
in the following years. If pesticides are to be used, select ones labeled for
Eliminate corrugated cardboard boxes and ma‑ control of “creeping and/or crawling” insects. For
terials when possible or store in dry places. Keep persistent infestations, a professional pest control
books and papers off the floor and repair plumbing firm may be necessary to treat wall voids or other
leaks and drains to eliminate standing water. Vent inaccessible areas. Request that they use drying agents
the clothes dryer to the outside and remove leaf lit‑ or borates in such voids.

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