Hear A Strange Clicking Noise? You May Have Psocids!
Posted on: 28 July 2017
If you are having a difficult time falling asleep at night because you hear a ticking noise, you may have a problem with wingless psocids in your home. These are tiny insects that measure less than 3/16 inches long and can, indeed, produce a sound that is loud enough to be audible. They are more commonly called booklice because they like to feed off of paper and the glue in book bindings, but they also eat mold, decaying plants, insect fragments, and grains. Here's what you need to know to help you determine whether or not you have a problem with wingless psocids in your home and how to eliminate them if you do.
Finding Psocids
In order to find psocids, you'll need a magnifying glass, a flashlight, and a humidifier. Psocids are tan in color and have tear-shaped bodies, eyes that protrude from the sides of their heads, and thin antennae. They look similar to lice. With your tools in hand, look in areas where psocids may be feeding in your home, such as near decaying plants and in books or on wallpaper. They love warm, damp, dark places, so turn off the lights and turn on the humidifier to make them more likely to come out of hiding. Also, head to your basement or storage room to look for them as well.
Getting Rid of Them
If you find a group of them in your home, such as if they are in your books, carry the books or other items outside and brush the psocids off of the items. To get rid of the ones you cannot see or cannot remove by hand, dehumidify your home and reduce the temperature as low as you possibly can because they cannot live and thrive in a cold, dry environment and will likely leave on their own. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth or bord acid around any areas that will not have contact with food.
If you continue hearing the sounds after you've attempted to eliminate them on your own, contact a professional pest control service, like American Pest Control Inc, for help. A pest control service will be able to spray an aerosol product throughout specific areas in your home, particularly in areas where psocids are known to hide, such as cracks and crevices along storage boxes and cabinetry. When these products are used, psocids can die within an hour. However, repeated service may be necessary if any of them are hiding deep within the walls.
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