Book Lice

[Bugged Out]

We have a tiny bug called book lice on most of our walls in the house. Pest control say they cannot get rid of them as they are feeding of dampness/maybe mould inside house walls (I think our house must be fairly damp)and spraying to date has not eradicated them. Anyone with similiar problem and have any other ideas on how to reduce numbers? They are at plague proportions at present.

Thanks

[YES]

Hi, Yes I have a similar problem.  I think it must be the change of weather/our 'winter' season.  I started to notice them in November.  Then found a load chowing down in the food cupboard.  i cleaned it out, threw it all away and now have to keep everything in the fridge.  Then They started in the lounge - on walls etc.  I had a pest man in to spray -twice - but they are back... I don't have a big problem with them on walls, but have you found them on clothes/bedding??  That is a disturbing sight.  As for getting rid, I'm hoping they will reduce as the weather changes, but generally I think there is no 'cure'.  

[2 Above Poster]

Do you live in a black & white, by any chance? The bugs and creepy crawlies really inhabit those places!

[Bugged Out]

No, I live in a 3 storey terrace house in the novena area. My house is always aired and the sun enters all rooms. We also have a major problem with mould on clothes, wooden pieces, bags and shoes. We are vigilant with wiping everything over once a week but cannot stay abreast of the mould. We are now trying an old 'wives' trick and spraying a mixture of vinegar and bicarb soda onto these recurring mouldy pieces.

[Bugman]

Hi all,

Book louse/lice is a fungus bug that crawl on  the wall or damp/moist area and feeding on fungus. Combine of the following steps will enable a 90% control:

1) Vantilate house regulary by open up window/door and on a fan
2) Cleaning up with dry cloth any growth of fungus on any surface in reducing food source
3) Apply household insecticide on live/active louse found in reducing the adult pest population
4) Have a mist-fumigation done by a professional pest control company by paying around $100-$200 per job

[Trouble Book Lice]

Hi. I discovered the book lice in my second hand house of 30 years Aug last year when I moved in in Feb. Ya. It is very irritating and disturbing. Initially, we misunderstood it as bedbug. I think at least book lice feed on mould and may not harm us, bedbug suck on blood. Since Nov 07 to Mar 08, I have been doing thorough cleaning of the whole house for 6-7 times, using up about 15 cans of pesticide, bud boom, spray, and even the steamer/vacuum machine etc. The lice will stop for a while for 2-3 weeks then it re-appear again. I can fully understand the trouble and problem it bring to us. Recently, I engaged pest control company to deal with them, they come 2 rounds one week after, pay about $150, and they spray all over the wall. I hope the treatment is able to rid them one shot and not to see them around anymore. And maybe, have to air the house more frequently.  

[shampoo.]

are you sure those are book lice and not head lice? maybe they fell from your hair.

[JurongFlat]

Hi, I have this problem too... and i have in fact requested the pest control into for about 6-7 times... It's totally useless, as each time you will never be able to evacuate them fully so they will always be back and whenever the climate suits them, they grew super fast.

To a certain extent, it does not bother too much into my life, as i:

1. Get electric dehumdifier (i have 3 in the house) -- my house is very humid, water gets full 1-2 days
2.  Spray insecticides on wall corners, cracks and any where  that they could possibly breed...
3. If your bed is infested, likely chance, you will find them building a nest under the downside of the bed, in that case, you would have to wipe it off with cloth, then spray Antibacterial kill 99% germs from NTUC.
4. Change your bedsheet every week to avoid manifesting.
5. Clean your floor at least every 2 days with magic clean, it will trap those creepy crawlies onto the cleaning cloth. Mop regularly if possible.
6. Regularly wipe the furnitures in your house, as chances is that they have lay their eggs everywhere including the bed(so bedsheet must change), use furniture shine spray to wipe, apparently it seems to keep those creepy crawlies off...dun ask me why.
7. Keep all open food into the fridge and empty dustbin regularly(as they will find food inside)
8. Spray on mould receptive items (eg: curtains, velvet material, matress ...etc) with the  Antibacterial kill 99% germs from NTUC.
9. Wash all clothes and pack them in bags then inside cupboard and hang only those you wanted on clothes stands...Pack them in bags, you can spray insecticide anywhere you want and also even if you get pest control in, you do not have to wash the clothes.
10. Normal cupboard put dehumidifiers(the normal one)...
11. Keep toilet clean as they also like to breed in toilet.
12. Their breeding place. Under the bed/sofa, walls, toilets, hollow woods. cup***. Basically anywhere wet, as for lighting, i have experiment, it doesn't bother them.

 

[What do they look like?]

What do these book lice look like please? I think we may have them but not sure. Do they fly?

[JurongFlat]

tiny in size, brownish to darker shade in color. They do not fly. But they move fast.

[scoobydoo]

Are book lice the same thing as whats called silver fish in the US? They eat glue and paper.

[garlic]

i have little brown bugs that do fly - just noticed them here and there - have done a major spring clean ... found them in the garlic ?!

[WhatsThatBug]

Try whatsthatbug.com

[sambal]

[Insert Quote
Are book lice the same thing as whats called silver fish in the US? They eat glue and paper.]

i am local, and we call those critters silver fish too.

they eat paper, clothing (esp attractec to damp) and also food.

read an article before - they're some of the oldest living creatures around.

[is this them]

Are these booklice barely the size of the end of a pen?  Mine don't fly or jump though.  Move quite slowly unless I put my finger near them.