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Psocids
Latin Name: Liposcelidae
Common Name: Booklice
Latin Family Name: Liposcelidae
Other Names: Book louse, bark louse, deathwatch
Pest Details
Origin:
Not mentioned in literature, but currently some of the common U.S. species that are structural pests are also found throughout the world.
Biology:
The psocids are commonly called book lice, a misnomer since they are not even closely related to lice. Relatives are called plant or bark lice and they infest foliage of trees and shrubs. A large species of structural importance is called the “deathwatch”, due to its habit of tapping its abdomen on the surface and causing an audible clicking sound. The primary food of booklice appears to be molds and fungi, and their presence in structures or in food will be caused by excessive moisture and the resulting growth of molds. For this reason they also may be found in books or other materials stored in damp conditions. They are