Welcome To Wirral

Where do they live?

Often found in houses, food stores and libraries. Usually only occur indoors under humid conditions. Can also be found in cereal products, old books and the fabric of old furniture which may have been attacked by mould. Booklice can be brought into the home in a variety of ways, they may come in with food or in the food packaging, or with second hand goods such as carpets or clothes.

What do they eat?

Booklice feed on microscopic moulds and mildews associated with high humidity, which can be found in leather carpets, books, plaster, and food.

Pest status

Booklice are not pests of public health significance. They do not bite humans, nor are likely to transmit any kind of disease. However, Booklice can contaminate stored foods with their waste products and can cause damage to paper packaging or books by their feeding session.

Control Measures

• Hygiene - Any food commodities that are found to be infested with Booklice should be discarded, Unopened packets of food should be inspected thoroughly paying attention around labels and openings.
• Insecticidal Control - Before carrying out an insecticide treatment against Booklice, the humidity in the infested area should be reduced to less than 50% as this may eradicate the problem. If trouble persists, use crawling insect aerosol suitable for use near food.
• Professional Help - Wirral Borough Council does not provide a service. However, commercial Pest Control Companies are listed in the yellow pages and Thompson's Local Directory.

 

When using pesticides always follow the instructions on the label