Booklice (psocids) are small, wingless insects often found in damp conditions such as basements or crawlspaces.
The most common of psocids are booklice which measure about 1/8 inch long. They have pearly white colour soft bodies that make them look like worker termites. They have piercing and sucking mouthparts that allow them to feed on microscopic plant life such as algae, fungi, and lichens. These pests don't pose a threat to human beings but can enter our homes through open windows or by using concealed openings such as cracks around the home's foundation.
Termites belong to a species called Blattodea, which means cockroach-like, as they share some physical characteristics with roaches. Unlike roaches, termites live in large social groups with several types of termites.
There are over 2000 species of termite known to exist, the most common being subterranean that live underground in colonies consisting of approximately 3 million members. Subterranean termites maintain their nest by chewing wood fibre into a fibrous pulp then ingesting it through special stomachs called pseudogyne. They used symbiotic bacteria to digest the cellulose components turning them into carbohydrates. The workers feed on this substance while maintaining and building their colony or nest. This is what makes termites destructive because they chew away at wooden structures slowly but surely until their presence becomes visible when swarms of winged termites appear in a search for new places to colonise and build new nests.They don't bite humans like some other insects, such as bed bugs do but can prove to be an annoyance when found crawling around living spaces in upholstered furniture, cupboards, or pantry areas where our food supply is stored. These tiny pests that love humid areas leave behind a powdery coating called frass which gives off an unpleasant odour, so may need to be dealt with at some point by pest control services if you find them in large numbers inside your home. Although these are not considered destructive like some other pests, they can enter our home through open windows or by using concealed openings such as cracks around the foundation of the home. When entering your property, booklice leave along with their frass a musty smell which is only temporary but unpleasant just the same.
Treating areas where infestations usually occur will help eradicate these pests, so things like window sills, door frames, and cracks in wooden flooring should be treated as well as around the baseboards of your home. Treatment is best done by pest control companies as they know where to look and treat the affected areas effectively. Although these are not dangerous pests, they can be a nuisance since they reproduce quickly and invade your living spaces. A pest control company will help you get rid of them permanently without too much disruption to your home or business premises. Since booklice survive in areas where the relative humidity levels are high, ensure low levels of moisture in your indoor conditions. Booklice feed on mould. Clean any areas where mould, mildew, or grows. Store foodstuffs in air-tight containers where microscopic mould cannot grow because it will most likely attract booklice.
The chemicals used for this treatment consist of a liquid injected into the soil around your home then taken up by the roots, killing these destructive parasites effectively. In contrast, heat treatments cook and kill these before they can reproduce within their colonies. This makes controlling termites harder as there might not be just one colony, so eliminating them completely might prove impossible unless you know precisely how many colonies exist.
When termite baits are used, the termite workers feed on the bait. They carry the lethal chemical with the food back to the nest. After feeding other termites, the entire colony gets infected, including the soldier termites, the queen, and the termite larvae. Using this approach, it is possible to destroy entire termite colonies, including adult and young termites.
Yes, booklice are common pests in homes and businesses, so being familiar with what they look like is important. They are typically found and thrive in damp areas with high humidity levels like bathrooms and kitchens, but they can be a nuisance in living spaces, especially during summer, where windows are usually kept open more. It's also possible that booklice crawl into our homes through cracks or crevices around our homes. All it takes is one tiny opening like this to allow these insects inside.
No, booklice are not considered to be destructive insects. They are harmless, but they can become a nuisance, especially when found in large numbers moving around your living spaces. Common places you will find these little critters are cardboard boxes and upholstered furniture where humidity levels are high. Other infested items include piles of paper products such as old wallpaper where indoor moisture levels are high. In outdoor spaces, they mill around decaying plants. If you see these pests crawling around, it's best that you contact a professional pest control company for inspection and treatment, as this will help keep them under control.
No, if by termites you're thinking of the larger ones that might actually eat away at our wooden structures, then no, they don't bite. Most species of these destructive little bugs feed on other dead organic matter, so it may cause damage to surrounding areas like soil or trees where other insect colonies might live, but these cannot harm human beings directly. There is one type of termite that has teeth called Schedorhinotermes, which are aggressive eaters and can cause damage to wooden structures.
When it comes to getting rid of termites, you've got two options; heat treatments that cook these termites alive within their colonies or chemical treatments that use liquids injected into the soil around your property then taken up by roots where they kill them at the source. Fumigation is a form of heat treatment that uses fumigants like sulfuryl fluoride and Vikane (sulfuryl fluoride and dichlorvos) to eliminate adult termites.
There's not much that attract these insects, but if you're living in an environment where there's lots of damp or moist wood, the chances are high that your home will be infested with them at some point. These include trees, wooden structures, and wooden furniture, so the best course of action here would be to contact a pest controller for inspection and treatments, keeping them under control.
Wood materials contain the organic compound cellulose. Termites will crawl spaces seeking cellulose from any wood materials in your house. The appearance of mud tubes on walls on wood surfaces is a sign of an underlying termite problem.
For more information about pest control in the home, take a look at the Better Health website.