Common pests

Psocids, or booklice as they are commonly known, are normally found in dark humid places such as kitchens or bathrooms.

Facts about psocids (booklice)

Psocids are yellow, brown, white or grey in colour and only 1mm long. They are commonly found in kitchen food cupboards, larders, water cisterns and drying plaster in new houses. They feed on microscopic mildews, fungi and bacteria which grow on the surfaces of the product or item concerned i.e. wallpaper, cereal packets, glue, rear of kitchen cupboards etc.

How do they affect me?

 They carry no disease and are generally harmless. They can be eradicated by removing their food source and/or removing the conditions in which they thrive.

How do you control them?

Steps which should be considered include reducing moisture and therefore mould in the room, including where appropriate increased ventilation to kitchens and bathrooms, disposal of all infested food products and where possible reduce temperature in the vicinity of the infestation. If the house cannot be kept relatively damp-free avoid materials such as wicker furniture, rush seated and heavily upholstered chairs, paper under carpets and linoleum. Where infestations are extensive you can use strong disinfectant and a general purpose crawling insect spray, available from local chemists, hardware stores and garden centres in an attempt to eradicate them. A light spray at the main harbourage points i.e. in between the wall and rear of the food cupboard, in between the wall and work surfaces or actually in the cistern, repeated once a week for 4-5 weeks may cure the problem. Spraying work surfaces or food itself should be avoided. If the above is not effective the services of a contractor may be required.