Booklice

[Reese]

I was wondering if booklice have ever been mentioned in association with Morgellons. Anyone have anything to share on that?

[-----------]

Well... I've never heard anyone mention a booklouse, curiosity is getting the best of me, let's see what it looks like? I'm sure we've all got a couple lying around somewhere?

Booklice

Booklice and Silverfish -- Figure 1. Booklouse.

"Booklice (Figure 1) belong to a group of insects collectively called psocids. The psocids are small, soft-bodied insects, most of which are less than one-eighth of an inch long. They are both winged and wingless. Psocids have chewing mouthparts.

The majority of psocids are outdoor species with well developed wings. They are most commonly found on bark or on the foliage of trees and shrubs. These psocids are frequently called "barklice." Most of the species found in buildings are wingless. Because they are often found among books or papers, they are called booklice. The term "lice" in the names is somewhat misleading because none of these insects are parasites and few of them have a louselike appearance.

Psocids feed on molds, fungi, cereals, pollen, fragments of dead insects, or other similar materials. They cause little loss by actually eating foodstuffs since they do feed chiefly on mold. At times they may become extremely abundant and spread throughout an entire building. In such situations they may contaminate foods and materials to the point the goods must be discarded. Damage to books may be more direct. They eat the starch sizing in the bindings of books and along the edges of pages.

The eggs of psocids are laid singly or in clusters and are often covered with silken webs or debris. Most species pass through six nymphal stages. The entire life span from egg to adult is between thirty and sixty days. "

[jonsi]

Very interesting! Whatever this "M" is, it can morph.

Itwl,
~jonsi

[-----------]

Originally Posted by jonsi

Very interesting! Whatever this "M" is, it can morph.

Itwl,
~jonsi

Yeah! We can't believe a word they say... 'none of these insects are parasites'... ha!

Reese - do you think booklice are involved in "M"?

[carla]

Maybe it is just Morgs Reese.They infect paper/cardboard very easily. And they love dust.
Put your books in strong clear plastic bags for now.

[spotted dog]

Hi..Can these booklice be seen with the naked eye? I read constantly, usually a novel a week, I buy all my books from charity shops, & then give them back to be resold, does anyone know what kills them so that I can spray each book as I get them & before I give them back.

God knows what i'd do without second hand books, they are too expensive to buy new. They are my life , Telly bores me stiff most of the time, unless its an interesting documentry.....Spots....

[Katinka]

hmm, now that I think about it..yeah...I had one or two of them in my hair in the beginning..I was always wondering where they came from...well...I do have alot of books...library...lol...oh, well, they're gone...never had them again!
Kat

[Kritters]

Originally Posted by spotted dog

Hi..Can these booklice be seen with the naked eye? I read constantly, usually a novel a week, I buy all my books from charity shops, & then give them back to be resold, does anyone know what kills them so that I can spray each book as I get them & before I give them back.

God knows what i'd do without second hand books, they are too expensive to buy new. They are my life , Telly bores me stiff most of the time, unless its an interesting documentry.....Spots....

Spotster....

JMO...but I now that you mention it, I get books on cd from the library as much as possible and download onto my ipod so I can "read" as I go do other things or just to free my hands. I'm thinking 2nd hand and library are probably transmitting germs. Never thought of that until now. Even mice droppings can find their way into between the pages....yuk. So, I guess if you spray them before and after that would probably be a GREAT thing. Most paper in older books (and probably in newer as well, but I don't know) use acid paper...and we know what acid attracts.....

xoxoKritts

[-----------]

Eww! Ut oh! My house is full of books here and there on the shelves!

I'd have to spend a fortune in baggies to bag them...

I thought that guy was bit on the extreme side in that cleaning video, did you'all see it - where he had everything in plastic bins? What's our world coming to? The insides of our homes are going to end up looking like the bin section at Walmart?

[Kritters]

Yeah Kam,

Remember the old days when people used to cover furniture in plastic slipcovers?

Like PLASTIC is so safe now???? I agree he seemed over the edge.....

Kritts