Knowledgebase
Book lice or bed bug nymph #545063
Asked February 26, 2019, 3:57 PM EST
Thanks
County Colorado
Expert Response
That is a book louse.
I can see the general resemblance to a small, young bed bug with the rounded abdomen. But the bed bugs are more generally round in their body form and do not have the head region being so distinctly separate as do book lice.
Book lice are not all that common an insect in Colorado homes since they need pretty high humidity and most feed primarily on molds.
Ya I have only seen them in my basement. Which last summer we had a leak in the basement door to all the rain. I have a dehumidifier on and dusted DE along the walls and radiators. I have read that they are not dangerous is this correct???
No. They are not dangerous. They are a minor pest of some stored grain-based foods in some areas, but with the low humidity around here they are more a curiosity.
I think once the situation in the basement gets fixed, these will go away. The leak (which provides conditions for some molds) fits perfectly for the type of situation where these insects become noticeable.
