Help Identify household bug

[mattstevens]

Hi

I've registered to get some help identifying a houshold bug that has appear in numbers in our living room.

I first spotted a few of them in a carboard box of kids puzzles stored underneath a sofa on a wooden floor.

Since then we've found more in wicker baskets and on some shelves.

The larger ones (1-3mm) are a brown or grey and the smaller ones (up to 1mm) are clear/opaque yellow.

They are small, I've put a pencil in one picture for scale. I've done a littel research via google but would appreciate a second opinion on;

1) what they are

2) are they any threat to my family (2 small children)

3) how to deal with them

Thanks in advance!

Matt Stevens

[Jason Green]

Hi Matt, and welcome to WAB!

These are called Booklice, and are related to barkflies (...which are the other distinct sub-order of their scientific classification) that you will find outside on trees, or lichen on walls on occasion. I wouldn't like to try and identify these to species-level though as I'm more familiar with their often winged outdoor counterparts!

They pose no threat to your family as far as I am aware, and are likely to be found in most houses across the country.

Good close-ups by the way, what camera/lens are you using? Nice scaling, too.

Take care,

Jason

[mattstevens]

Thanks Jason

I've got a dehumidifier on in the room and have been spraying 'bob martins' flea, tick and mite spray into the wicker baskets we've got. Trying to convince my wife that plastic boxes are now the way to go!

We've only noticed them recently, I wondered if it was because the heating is now on (our house was VERY cold before) but the advice seems to be to keep the heating on and a dehumidifyer, so thats what I'm trying.

Is there anything else I can do?

As for the camera, its just a cacky little konica minolta - bought about 6 years ago for £100 at an airport before a last minute holiday. I do have a nikon D50 but only got a standard kit lens so the little digital is what I use for getting close ups!

Thanks again for your affirmation of 'booklice' that's really helpful.

Matt

[Jason Green]

Pleasure. I doubt the Booklice will be affected by the spray, and won't have been too bothered by the cold/warmth either. You're likely to find more in cupboards in your kitchen, too - though as I said, unless they are in great, great numbers I doubt they'll pose a risk. Even then I don't think they carry anything!

[mattstevens]

Yeh cleaning out the kitchen cupboards is the next phase - mass hoover nearly complete. Dehumidifier is ON!

We're finding them everywhere now, but only in one's or twos.

All the wicker baskets have gone to the garage, as that was where they seemed to be thriving in greatest numbers. Plastic boxes coming soon, wife not happy...

thanks

matt