Booklice

	Class:	Order:	Family:
	Insecta	Psocoptera	Various

Size:	Booklice (psocid) adults are about 1/32-1/4 in (1-6 mm) long.
Color:	Varies with species, but many are brown, or creamy yellow with brown bands.
Characteristics:	Booklice (psocids) have soft bodies that look like tiny termite workers; their heads are more or less bulging, with chewing mouthparts; antennae are long and threadlike with 11-50 segments; prothorax is small, looking like a neck; 4 wings, if present, are cellophane-like, and held up like a roof over the body when at rest; front wing is larger than hind wing, and has few veins. Nymphs look like adults except they do not have wings.
Geographic Range:	All over the world and the U.S., in which there are about 287 species.
Food:	Mold is the primary food of most species.
Biology:	Most booklice require a relative humidity of at least 50-60%, due to loss of body moisture through their exoskeletons. High humidity is also necessary for the growth of the mold on which they feed. When humidity drops too low they may migrate in large numbers. Adults usually die in winter, although the eggs and small nymphs can survive cold temperatures. When warm weather comes they can mature within 3-4 weeks. Some species do not require males for reproduction in part or all of their geographic range. Typically, outdoor species have wings, while indoor species have wings that are reduced or absent. Eggs are laid either bare or encrusted, with or without webbing. They mature in 4-6 nymphal instars.

• You may notice pages of your books falling out or having small marks on them.
• Found in moist environments.
• Typically live in warmer environments.