Booklice
Tiny pale insects on books, sills and damp walls. They eat mould, not people, so the fix is drier air.
- Size
- Tiny, about a millimetre
- Colour
- Pale white to light brown, soft
- Lives
- Books, window frames, cardboard, damp walls
- Active
- All year in damp rooms and new builds
How to tell
Big head, no wings
Soft and pale, with six legs and a head that looks too big for the body.
Quick, short runs
They dart in bursts over paper, packets and walls.
Not a bed bug
Bed bugs are reddish, flat and live in mattress seams. Booklice do not bite.
Signs you have them
- Specks that move on books, dry food packets and window sills.
- Condensation on windows and cold walls.
- Mould spots or a musty smell in cupboards.
- A new build or a room that has had a leak.
The plan
- 1
Air the rooms
Open windows every day, after cooking, showers and drying clothes.
- 2
Dry the air
A dehumidifier, or steady low heating.
- 3
Clear the damp spots
Wipe mould, recycle damp cardboard, bin old open packets.
- 4
Give it time
They fade as the damp does: weeks, not days.
Solutions for booklice
Dehumidifier crystals
Dries damp cupboards and bathrooms.
Opens Google Maps. Call first to check they have it.
Shoo does not sell these yet. They are standard products sold by other shops; follow the label on the one you buy.
What people worry about
Are these bed bugs?
Probably not. Booklice are tiny, pale and live on books, sills and damp walls. Bed bugs are reddish, flat and live in mattress seams.
Do booklice bite?
No. They eat microscopic mould and do not feed on people or pets.
Why are they everywhere in our new flat?
New plaster and concrete give off moisture for months as a building dries. Booklice come with the damp and go as it does.