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Booklice |
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Psocids
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Psocid (Liposcelis decolor)
Courtesy of CSIRO Division of Entomology
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Description
Psocids are small, flattened, soft-bodied insects, which are usually less than 2 mm in length. They have long hair-like antennae and may or may not be winged. They have chewing mouthparts and are grey to transparent in colour.
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Life cycle
The female lays eggs singly or in clusters throughout the infested media and she often covers them with silken webs or debris. The hatching nymphs undergo approximately 6 nymphal stages. The life cycle from egg to adult generally occurs within 30 to 60 days. |
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Damage
Psocids are generally scavengers and usually feed on mould, fungi, cereals, pollen and dead insects. They cause little loss by actually eating foodstuffs since they do feed chiefly on mould. However their presence within the infested material can become troublesome. Book damage is more direct as they eat the bindings of books and along the edges of pages. |
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Control
Keeping your storage facility and commodity clean and dry will usually eliminate psocids. Also try to clean up any spillages and keep all stored products in a sealed container. |
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