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Bed bug nymph or book lice? #346970

Asked July 26, 2016, 5:07 PM EDT

Hi!
I'ved found 4 of these bugs on my bathroom wall and I can't determine whether they are bed bug nymphs or book lice. They are approximately 2 mm long. I don't think they seem to have a three-segmented body as book lice should have, and I've been travelling a lot lately, so I'm very worried it might be bed bugs.
I haven't found any in my mattress or couch yet, but I figure it is a new problem so maybe I just can't see any yet.
In hope for help

Kind regards
Marie-Louise




County Outside United States

Expert Response

The insects in your photos are NOT bed bugs. Two of the photos are of barklice or psocids. These are closely related to booklice in the order Psocodea or Psocoptera. Barklice normally live outdoors, feeding on algae, lichens, molds, and fungi. They would normally be found in the soil, on plants or on the bark of trees depending on species. Often the adults can fly, but the ones in your photo still appear to be nymphs. The other insect is a springtail, in the order Collembola. These are primitive insects that normally live in the soil, and are generally scavengers feeding on decaying plant matter and fungi. Both of these are harmless to humans. Springtails especially, and likely the barklice, prefer areas with moisture or high humidity. If the weather where you are at has been hot and dry like it is here in much of the US, then it is likely these insects have moved indoors seeking moisture. Bathrooms often have higher humidity. These bugs might be coming in through windows or vents, or crawling in along water pipes coming in to the bathroom from basements or crawlspaces. Unless you have moldy conditions in the vicinity, they will not survive there long and shouldn't become a problem. I have included some links below to websites with more information about these insects.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psocoptera

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springtail

An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 27, 2016, 9:13 AM EDT
Thank you so much for your quick response! The last weeks have been very hot, so it would make perfect sense. I'm relieved that it does not seem to be bed bugs! 
The Question Asker Replied July 27, 2016, 9:29 AM EDT

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