Have you ever encountered slow-moving black dots on the wall? Known as booklice, these are one of the common pests found in Singapore. They are also frequently known as barklice or Psocids. In this article, Bingo Pest shares more information about this pest and how you can eliminate them easily.
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What Are Booklice?
Booklice are very tiny insects that are commonly found at homes. They are often seen on the walls, inside cabinets and even in books. Booklice are only about 1mm to 2mm in size. Therefore, booklice usually go unnoticed. Some people may even describe booklice as a close resemblance to a full-stop. They are so tiny in size that they are often spotted only when one pays close attention to them or when an infestation happens. In some cases, homeowners may not even know that they are facing an issue with booklice infestation.
These creatures are harmless and do not bite, but a booklice infestation can lead to frustration and annoyance as they keep appearing even after you think you’ve cleaned them away. Imagine having to repeatedly deal with tens or hundreds of booklice on a daily basis. Therefore, in order to eliminate booklice completely, it is important to understand what attracts booklice and take a proactive approach to prevent booklice at home.
What Attracts Booklice?
On the contrary to what their name suggests, booklice do not feed on books or paper materials. Instead, booklice feed on mould, algae and fungi, and are commonly found in damp and warm environments including:
Kitchen cupboards
Bathrooms
Dark and humid rooms including storerooms or household shelters
In books and magazines
Behind or underneath appliances
In non-air-tight containers
Generally, a booklice infestation is an indication of high levels of humidity and moisture in the house. These insects are a common problem in Singapore due to our warm and humid climate. In addition, places with poor ventilation are also prone to having a booklice infestation.
Are Booklice Common in Singapore?
Booklice thrive in tropical and subtropical regions where humidity levels are consistently high. Singapore's warm and humid climate provides favourable conditions for the growth and proliferation of booklice. Booklice are especially fond of damp and poorly ventilated areas. As such, they are most often seen in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and areas where books, papers, and cardboard boxes are stored.
Even though booklice infestations may be common in Singapore, it is not impossible to get rid of them. Essentially, booklice can be reduced when conditions are made unattractive to them.
Signs of a Booklice Infestation
While booklice may be visually hard to spot due to their small size, a booklice infestation typically happens when there are mould or damp patches on the wall or ceiling. Homeowners are advised to pay close attention to mould-affected areas for small and slow-moving insects. Spotting live booklice on wall is one of the telltale signs of a booklice infestation.
Additionally, booklice are also known to infest dry food products such as flour, cereals, pasta and rice. Observing white powdery substance near where these foods are stored can also mean a sign of a booklice infestation.
Get Rid of Booklice Naturally
Homeowners often seek natural home remedies to get rid of booklice. One of the common remedy used includes mixing equal parts of vinegar and bleach in a spray bottle and using it to clean surfaces where booklice are found. This solution helps disrupt the environment that booklice thrive in, hence deterring them.
While these home remedies can help control booklice infestations, they may not completely eradicate them or resolve the issue. For severe infestations, you may need to consider professional pest control services. Additionally, always be cautious when using natural remedies and keep them out of reach of children and pets.
What Do Booklice Hate?
While there is no single substance that booklice absolutely hate, there are conditions and substances that they find unfavourable. Since they thrive in dark and humid places, they naturally dislike environments that are dry or bright. Eliminating their food sources including mould and fungus may also deter them.
However, while these conditions may discourage booklice, they might not entirely eliminate them. Consistent efforts in maintaining cleanliness, reduce humidity, and improving ventilation can help control booklice infestations over time.
Get Rid of Booklice at Home
Since booklice thrive in warm, damp and humid environments, the best way to treat booklice on your property is to reduce moisture and humidity. While spotting booklice on wall may be harmless, the presence of mould and mildew can impact your health negatively. It can lead to a runny or blocked nose, as well as irritation of the eyes and skin. In more serious cases, it may even cause an asthma attack.
While good housekeeping such as vacuuming regularly can help to get rid of physical booklice, more should be done to prevent an infestation from occurring. Here are some quick tips to deal with a booklice infestation on your property:
Invest in a Dehumidifier
There are several benefits of using a dehumidifier at home. Firstly, it reduces the humidity by extracting excess water in the air that encourages mould and mildew growth. Furthermore, it minimises the musty and foul smell that commonly happens in damp environments. The use of a dehumidifier helps limit their food sources - mould and fungi, and hence, prevents a booklice infestation from happening.
Remove Mouldy Items
Mould can grow anywhere with sufficient moisture including food, plants, shoes, carpet and ceilings in your home. Mould spores are small and pervasive. Therefore, it is possible for mould to spread from one item or surface to another.
When you spot a mouldy, chances are that the booklice have already started feeding on the mould. It is advisable to get rid of mouldy items including boxes, furniture or clothes before the situation worsens and prevent the infestation from further spreading.
Wipe Down Walls and Ceiling
When mould infects a structure within your home such as the ceiling or wall, it is recommended to conduct a complete wipe down to get rid of the mould. Homeowners may consider using soapy water or a disinfectant to clean the structures. However, it is also important to dry the walls thoroughly thereafter to prevent moisture in the house. Otherwise, you may actually be encouraging a booklice infestation to happen.
Ventilate Rooms
Allowing sunlight to enter the house and encouraging airflow can help inhibit mould growth. Opening the windows whenever possible helps encourage fresh air, prevents odour and removes stuffiness. Ventilating rooms and airing out storage cupboards regularly is one way to get rid of damp air and humidity, which helps prevent booklice at home.
Booklice Pest Control
In serious and full-blown booklice infestation cases, hiring a professional pest control is probably the best bet to tackle the situation. A pest control expert is not only able to accurately locate the source of infestation, they are also able to conduct treatments to effectively get rid of booklice on your property.
How Bingo Pest Deals with Booklice Infestation
Have you spotted booklice on walls? At Bingo Pest, booklice are treated through misting. Conducted by an NEA-certified pest specialist, the misting treatment is an effective way to get rid of booklice as the solution is able to reach hard-to-reach spots such as the ceiling or corners of walls. The water-based solution is colourless and does not cause any staining or leave behind any oily residue. However, televisions, screens, paintings and appliances should still be covered as a form of precaution.
In conclusion, our pest control treatment aims to remove any trace of booklice on your property. Furthermore, our experienced pest specialists will also provide you with specific preventive advice based on their findings to reduce the chances of recurring booklice infestations.
Contact us at 65179989 or support@bingopest.sg to schedule a booklice elimination service today.
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