Help! Booklice!

[starlight09]

Back in October, some kind people on this forum, helped me identify the insects I found amongst some papers as booklice.
I have found more; brown, long body, tiny things. But I have now found little tiny creamy coloured things no bigger than this full stop. They look like moving specks. Are these booklice too? Maybe babies and they grow into the brown things? I've found about 10 of the brown things and LOTS and LOTS of the tiny creamy coloured things.
I'm freaking out because they are everywhere; in my wardrobe, in my draws, boxes, jewellery boxes, beside table, DVDs, and in my laptop (I saw one run into it). Some things I have found one on and then other things like my laptop had LOTS of them.
I found mold in my room. This started after my idiot friend came through the ceiling and I had to tape and pin a black bag over the hole until I could get it fixed. I don't know if this has cause the outbreak. I have a leaky roof too. I've had my window open when it is sunny and the dehumidifier running when it is raining and at night.
I've cleaned things and think that's it, they've gone and then a day or two later, they're back.
Has anyone successfully got rid of these things? I've got Christmas presents in my room and though I have not seen anything on them, I am too scared to give them in case I spread these things to others houses.
Any suggestions what I can do to get rid of these things?

[Lance Morgan]

Any chance of a picture or sketch?

[Venger]

Sounds like mites.

[Jason Green]

Hi Starlight, yes I remember you - welcome back to WAB!

They could be mites, or still Booklice. Either way, these things would be present in most houses across the country. Yes, dehumidifiers and cleaning may help on a temporary basis or even reducing their numbers, but most likely because these invertebrates are so small they will simply retreat into an inaccessibly small space and come out once again when you've stopped.

If you find a way of removing them, let us know. If not, remember that these creatures are probably all over the country in similar numbers

Good luck.

Take care,

Jason

[metalfish]

yeah, I get bugs like that too, on my books, in cupboards and in my kitchen, can't say as I take any notice of them...and yes my home is clean if not fasideously so, and I don't have a problem with damp.
There's probably lots of wee little bugs that live directly around us without most people noticing.

If you're really worried about giving your pressies away can you freeze them?? Sounds daft but most things don't survive being frozen for a few days.

But to be honest I wouldn't worry about them

[starlight09]

Thanks for replying everyone!
I have looked booklice up and even though I know they are harmless, I still freak out because they are insects. I can put with one on a DVD but not with 20+ inside a CD case.
With a good clean, vacumning and wipe down often (that sounds like I don't ever clean - lol!), should the large numbers go down? I'm guessing there were some already in my room before this outbreak and the outbreak of mold made them thrive?
So, it's okay to move items to other rooms tho they potentially have booklice and/or their eggs on them?
Yes, I am paranoid - lol!

[JRsbugs]

The little creamy speck sounds like a dust mite, I found one recently! They are not supposed to live in temps below 20C, the room I found it in is usually well below that at this time of year. They have very long hairs, with the head end more pointed.

The other brownish long things could be either Barklice or Springtails, I have both inside on the plants I brought in for the winter! Not many though, I gently encourage them outside if I can get them in a plastic cup.

If you have Springtails they are possibly Entomobrya sp. which will look more pointed on the end and without wings which the Barkflies have (except for nymphs). These live on tiny mosses which you may have growing in damp places but you don't usually see.

The Barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi is abundant outside and I find them inside occasionally.

[Acutipuerilis]

It sounds like a classic case of booklice to me. They apparentlt feed mostly on mildew (often growing on paper, hence their name!), so they're there because of the mould. I bet the main patch of mould is crawling with them. Get the roof fixed, dry the place out, and they'll disappear to some extent (although as others have said, there will probably always be some). Try to think of them as doing you a favour - they're keeping the mould down!

[starlight09]

I tried to get a photo but these things are so small, my camera can't pick them up.
My eyes might've been playng tricks on me (I was tired) but I think one of the creamy tiny things jumped or hopped. I know booklice can't jump. So, I'm now wondering if they are booklice. I have not seen any jump or hop before. Can mites jump? I've tried looking on the web but have not found any mite, creamy coloured about the size of this full stop . that can jump. Any ideas?