Booklice can be a cream or light brown colour insect, with a bod as small as 1mm long. These fast-moving insects are attracted to damp areas, and they will feed on mould in these conditions. They are a common household pest and can also be found in businesses and libraries. Although they are harmless as they do not bite or spread disease, they can be a nuisance to deal with in your home or workplace or food packaging companies and can cause distress and can lead to customer complaints. This may result in profit loss due to damage to stock causing it to be destroyed.
Booklice love dark humid areas. They will stick their eggs and cement them onto damp surfaces in areas such as bathrooms and kitchens, where a water pipe could be leaking or areas of poor ventilation in your home or business where there is condensation. Booklice also like to feed on moulds on things like book bindings, foodstuff packaging or plastering. If you have a home that has been newly plastered, you may have an environment booklice thrive in until the plastering dries out. Seeing these insects may be difficult as they are so small and quick moving, but it is possible to spot these species in areas of dampness or locations where visible mould is present.
