What are the characteristics of Psocoptera?

The Psocoptera are tiny insects that have either four wings, two wings or none at all. They have chewing mouthparts and a gradual metamorphosis, the life stages being the egg, nymph, and adult. Most species occur outdoors on plants, or under bark, stones or dead leaves.

What does Psocoptera mean?

Definition of Psocoptera : an order of tiny soft-bodied insects that have long antennae, chewing mouthparts, feed on organic matter, are either wingless or have two pairs of wings held over the back like a roof, and include the book lice and bark lice.

Do book lice bite?

Book lice do not bite, but they can be numerous in humid situations and some people may think they bite. Air and sunlight are the best cures for book lice, but short term control can be had with a pyrethrum aerosol.

Are booklice and head lice the same?

Although booklice superficially resemble some lice species, they are not true lice. They measure between 1/32 and 1/8 of an inch long; they have soft bodies and resemble termite workers. Booklice often have 4 wings and the front wings are larger than the hind wings.

How do you identify psocoptera?

Appearance of Barklice:

1. Head prominent, with thread-like antennae.
2. Narrow “neck” between head and thorax.
3. Two pairs of wings; some species are wingless.
4. Front wings larger than hind wings; venation reduced.
5. Wings held tent-like over the body.
6. Tarsi 2- or 3-segmented.

What does psocoptera feed?

They feed primarily on fungi, algae, lichen, and organic detritus in nature but are also known to feed on starch-based household items like grains, wallpaper glue and book bindings. They have chewing mandibles, and the central lobe of the maxilla is modified into a slender rod.

How common are psocids?

Booklice (Psocids) are very common but harmless household pests. They are not caused by poor hygiene as they are just as common in scrupulously clean homes.

Are booklice harmful?

Booklice are rarely damaging inside homes and are harmless to people or pets. Booklice usually feed on molds, fungi, grains, insect fragments, and other starchy material, including glue from bookbindings. In homes, psocids typically are found in damp, warm, undisturbed places where mold and fungi are growing.

What does a lice bite look like?

They bite anywhere they are feeding on the head, but they are particularly fond of the back of the head and the area behind the ears because this is a warmer area of the scalp. The bites often appear as small reddish or pink bumps, sometimes with crusted blood. When scratched excessively, the bites can become infected.

Do booklice damage books?

Booklice do infest books but they don’t cause any noticeable damage since they are feeding on surface mold that is growing on the book pages and cover. Booklice are also called psocids.

How can you tell if you have booklice?

How to identify psocids

1. Psocids are soft-bodied insects.
2. They are less than 3/16 inches long with long, slender antennae.
3. They are generally white, gray or brown in color.
4. Psocids have either four wings or are wingless.
5. They have a large nose called a clypeus.

How do you know if you have booklice?

Booklice Identification They are grayish or white in appearance and usually without wings. If they do have wings, they are very weak flyers. Booklice are very flat in appearance and are often found in mold or mildew. Their heads and abdomens are large while their midsections are narrow.

What is the classification of Psocoptera?

Classification. These are distinguished by the number of segments in the antennae, tarsi, and labial palps. Psocoptera are regarded as the most primitive amongst the hemipteroids ( true bugs, thrips and lice) because their mouthparts show the least modification from those of the earliest known fossils.

What is the relationship between barklice and Psocoptera?

Phthiraptera (parasitic lice) may have evolved directly from commensal barklice, and a close relationship between barklice and parasitic lice is also supported by similarities in the structure of their mouthparts. There are over 1,000 species of Psocoptera in Europe, and around 100 in the British Isles.

Why are the mouthparts of psocids arranged the way they are?

The mouthparts of psocids are arranged in a mortal-and-pestle design, allowing the insects to scrape food from organic matter and grind it up. This arrangement explains the origin of the name Psocoptera, derived from the Latin roots psokos (“rubbed or gnawed”) and ptera (“winged”).

What are Psocoptera lice?

Photograph by Jean-Jacques Milan, used under GFDL. Although they are called lice, the Psocoptera are free-living insects, not parasites. The scientific name comes from the Greek psocus (to grind) and pteron (wing) and refers to the psocopteran jaws, which are shaped to grind food, rather like a pestle and mortar.