Tropical Book Louse vs Wood-boring Barklouse

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tropical Book Louse Wood-boring Barklouse
Scientific Name Liposcelis entomophila Psilopsocus mimulus
Order Psocoptera Psocoptera
Family Liposcelididae Psilopsocidae
Size 0.7-1.2 mm 2-3 mm
Habitat Indoors Woodlands
Diet Fungus Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Worldwide Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tropical Book Louse

A cosmopolitan booklouse frequently found in insect collections and herbaria. It feeds on dead insects and dried plant specimens.

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Did You Know?

Its species name 'entomophila' means 'insect-loving,' reflecting its habit of eating pinned insect specimens.

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.