Booklouse

Need help identifying this bug.
Tue, Nov 11, 2008 at 7:47 PM
Recently these little bugs started showing up in my basement bathroom. (It’s currently 11/11/08.) There are usually several in there at any given time. I have not seen them anywhere else in the house. They may be in other parts of the basement, but the rest is carpeted with a light tan carpet, so the color of these bugs would blend right in if they are elsewhere in the basement.
I’ve tried vacuuming them (and the surrounding area) but within a day or so they’re back. They walk around (rather than fly) and usually don’t do much at all to get out of the way when I go to kill one. They can jump, but apparently only about an inch or so.
They are quite tiny. I shot these pics with a 105mm macro lens plus an extra 52mm extension tube. I placed a ruler in the second shot for size reference. The marks on it are 64ths of an inch.
I would very much like to know what they are, what troubles they might cause, and how to get rid of them. If possible, would prefer to find a way of dealing with the problem without using harsh pesticides.
Thanks in advance for the info.
Chris
Leesburg, Virginia

Booklouse

Hi Chris,
We are pretty certain this is a Booklouse in the order Psocoptera, but we recently misidentified a different insect thinking it was a Booklouse.  We will get a second opinion.  BugGuide indicates:  “Book lice are best known for feeding on the starch in book bindings.”

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