Dusty Barklouse vs Wood-boring Barklouse

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dusty Barklouse Wood-boring Barklouse
Scientific Name Lachesilla pedicularia Psilopsocus mimulus
Order Psocoptera Psocoptera
Family Lachesillidae Psilopsocidae
Size 1-1.5 mm 2-3 mm
Habitat Indoors Woodlands
Diet Fungus Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Worldwide Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dusty Barklouse

A tiny psocid commonly found in old books, herbaria, and grain stores. It thrives in dusty undisturbed environments.

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Did You Know?

It is a major pest in natural history museum collections worldwide.

Wood-boring Barklouse

An unusual psocid that bores into dead wood rather than living on bark surfaces. It creates small tunnels in decaying timber.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the very few bark lice that actually bores into wood.