Booklouse

Natural Habitat

Damp, warm, and dark places. Often found in homes, archives, old books, stored food, and areas with mold growth.

Diet & Feeding

Mold, fungi, starch products, bookbindings, wallpaper paste, microscopic organic debris.

Behavior Patterns

Mainly nocturnal. Prefer hiding in cracks and crevices. They are not known to bite or sting humans. They reproduce rapidly in favorable conditions.

Risks & Benefits

Generally considered a nuisance pest in homes. They can damage books, papers, and stored food products by feeding on mold and starch. Not known to transmit diseases to humans. Their presence can indicate high humidity and potential mold growth issues in a structure. They are harmless to humans directly.

Identified on: 11/19/2025