Wood-boring Barklouse vs Dusty Barklouse

Side-by-side species comparison

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

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.

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.