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Psocids - or booklice:
Are common and harmless pests found in homes, food manufacturing premises, museums and
granaries. They are typically between 1mm and 2mm long and often found in dry foods.
They resemble grains of brown sugar. They feed on a wide variety of food products – such as flour and crumbs –
and also the microscopic moulds that develop on wallpaper, books, leather and upholstery.
They may live for about 6 months during which time the female may lay up to 100 eggs.
There are + 900 species of which most live outdoors, their natural habitat ranges from walls, fencing and crevices
in tree bark. A small percentage of this pest is found in homes where they breed in damp situations.
They are not caused by poor hygiene, and are just as common in the cleanest of homes being old or new.
They prefer to live in dark, warm, humid places – such as the folds of packaging in food cupboards,
and dislike light or disturbance.
Psocids prefer areas with high humidity but can tolerate dry conditions for some days. The kitchen environment is
likely to provide the conditions they need and fitted cupboards provide the darkness that attracts them.
In warm conditions Psocids can rapidly increase in number. This is most likely to occur during the summer months
when temperatures are higher, leading to their discovery in the autumn.
Treatment and control:
Dispose of all visibly infested packages in an outside dustbin and thoroughly clean the cupboards
using a vacuum cleaner, paying particular attention to crevices. If Psocids are found in other parts
of the house, clean the area with a vacuum cleaner. Immediately after use, dispose of the cleaner contents in
an outside dustbin. Regular cleaning of cupboards is advisable, since crevices of cupboards harbouring dry food can
also provide a food supply for Psocids. Do not use a very wet cloth with cleaning since this may seal dry food into
crevices, encourage humidity, and promote the growth of mould in chipboard.
Packets of food that have been opened should be used up quickly and not pushed out of sight to the back of the
cupboard. Use airtight storage boxes, sealed bags and storage jars for foods.
Food storage areas should be well ventilated and cool. If storage in cool ventilated cupboards is not possible,
make sure that your cupboards are always free from condensation and damp.
Containers and packaging may be treated by placing them in a deep freeze for 24 hours (enclosed in a plastic bag).
This will kill any eggs or juveniles that might be hidden in the folds of packaging. As an extreme measure labels could
be removed from tinned food, bottles and jars to ensure that no Psocids are hiding behind the paper. The freezer
treatment is also suitable for books and other objects which you might suspect of harbouring eggs/ individuals
(enclose them in plastic bags).
Heavy infestations of Psocids can be treated by a combination of fumigation (Aluminium Phosphide) and the use of a residual insecticide like (Cyfluthrin).
Complete eradication of Psocids may not always be practical, but with appropriate food storage and regular cleaning of cupboards their numbers can be kept very low. Their presence could be tolerated in most instances since they do not bite humans or pets and do not cause damage.
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