Aussie woman's disastrous find in bookshelf: 'I felt physically sick'
Did you know about these tiny critters that feed on your books?
Lice are a well-known pest most often associated with the heads of our school-aged children, but it turns out these tiny little critters can also make themselves home in a common household item – and can destroy your beloved books in the process.
This was news to one West Australian woman who, when cleaning out her bookshelf recently, discovered that many of her books were "infested" with what's known as booklice. "I'm very upset. I felt physically sick going to bed because as a book lover and collector, this is gut-wrenching," she lamented.
For those worried their books could suffer a similar fate, Warren Bailey from ABC Pest Control in Sydney told Yahoo News that while he gets a call "every so often" for booklice infestations, it's not something that happens as regularly as cockroach or rodent infestations.
Booklice are a type of psocid which are tiny, wingless insects that feed on organic matter, particularly mould and fungi. According to the pest controller, they are similar to mould mites in that they feed on microscopic mould and mildew in warm and damp environments.
Some of the many species of psocids are known as pests as they feed on stored food and paper — particularly books — which is where they got their name from.
These exceptionally small insects look light brown or grey with "sticky" clusters of eggs and, while not harmful to humans, Warren says booklice are "bloody annoying" to get rid of.
Ways to prevent booklice from taking over
Booklice love humidity and need moisture to live so using a dehumidifier or air conditioner and opening windows for good airflow is key to preventing an infestation.
Other ways to prevent booklice include regularly vacuuming cracks and small spaces where the insects could be hiding, sealing any leaks to prevent mould, and checking second-hand books you bring home for an infestation — though these critters are so tiny you may not catch them even if you check.
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How to get rid of a booklice infestation
If you find an infestation in your home, the first thing to do is remove the mould — their food source — which would remove the bugs with it. This sadly may mean throwing out some of your heavily infested books.
Smaller items that can fit in your freezer can be put in a zip lock bag and into the freezer for at least 24 hours, which will kill the eggs and the adults.
For serious infestations, a professional pest controller is the best option as they can kill the bugs and remove the mould they're feeding on.
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