4 min readThere’s something so magical about collecting old books: their smell, the history they’ve survived, the feel of their pages. However, you do need to be careful when handling timeworn books—while they are fragile and delicate, they may also include tiny bugs, known as booklice, that hide between the pages.
While booklice sound nightmarish, they often indicate that certain conditions in your home are slightly off. The good news? They’re totally treatable, and unlike bedbugs or traditional lice, they don't pose major health concerns. Here's what to know about identifying, getting rid of, and preventing booklice.
What Are Booklice?
“Booklice, more accurately called psocids (pronounced: SO-sids), are small, one-to-two-millimeter-long insects that are light in color and feed upon mold and starch,” explains Craig Sansig, associate certified entomologist and public health entomologist at Viking Pest Control. “They are not related to lice and do not feed upon people or animals as lice do. They vaguely resemble lice and commonly feed on books, hence their name.”
He notes that psocids are typically found in high-humidity environments, which help to support the growth of their preferred food source, mold. In nature, psocids can be found in leaf litter and mulch. They will, however, move into your home if the conditions are right.
“Paper and cardboard products stored in these environments are a common source of food,” says Sansig. “They will readily consume the starch found in glues and pastes, as well as the mold and mildew that may form on paper and wood surfaces. They will often attack book bindings, preferring to go after the starch in the adhesive contained in the bindings,” he adds. “Infested books will fall apart as the adhesive is consumed.”
If you have booklice on your bookshelves, don't be surprised if you find them in other places at home as well. “Booklice can also spread to other things around the house, like wallpaper or even stored food if there's enough moisture,” Adds Rocky Beninato, founder and licensed exterminator at Quality Affordable Pest Control.
How to Get Rid of Booklice
If your book collection has been infested with booklice, there are a few ways to get rid of them.
Remove Leaf Litter
Clean up and landscape properly around your home. “Remove leaf litter from around your home, especially under plants and decks, where they are shaded, and mold growth is more common,” says Sansig.
Seal Cracks and Crevices
If your home is filled with entry points like cracks and crevices, make sure to close them up. “Use an appropriate sealant for the environment and surface to prevent entry,” says Sansig.
Minimize Humidity
“Installation of a dehumidifier may help gain long-term control of this, as well as many other moisture-dependent pest species,” says Sansig. “Ensure you are storing books in dry locations. Humidity is the enemy.” Adds Beninato, “Try to keep humidity levels below 50 percent, especially in areas where you store books or paper.”
Clean and Check Your Books Often
Regularly check your bookshelves and other damp areas. “Wipe down surfaces and vacuum to remove dust, mold, and visible booklice,” says Beninato.
As a precaution, you should inspect any books (new or used) before bringing them into your home. “You can also freeze newly acquired books for a few days to kill any potential booklice before adding them to your collection,” adds Beninato. “Just toss them in an airtight bag or container first.”
Use Moisture-Absorbing Products
Products like silica gel packets or diatomaceous earth can help by soaking up moisture and killing booklice. “Place them around your bookshelves to keep the area dry,” says Beninato. “You can also use gentle insecticides that target crawling bugs like booklice, but be careful when using them around delicate items like books. With consistent treatment, you should see results within one to two weeks.”
How to Treat Major Infestations
If you are heavily infested with booklice, you may want to consider having a pest control expert treat your home. They may utilize a heat treatment that's meant to knock down booklice populations.
“Heat treatment is commonly utilized in bedbug control programs,” says Sansig. “Psocids may also easily be controlled with this nonchemical control strategy. However, long-term control is best achieved by lowering humidity to protect your book collection.”
Plus, their presence may indicate a larger issue in your home. “While they don’t bite or pose health risks to humans, their presence indicates that your home may be too damp, which could lead to other pest problems or even structural damage from mold,” adds Beninato. “If booklice continue to be a problem despite DIY efforts, it might be worth contacting a professional pest control service to assess and manage the situation more thoroughly.”
