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Biology and Behavior
Interestingly, in some species of
booklice, only females are present and
immatures develop from unfertilized eggs, a
process called parthenogenesis. Both male
and females are present in some species.
Females lay eggs which are either bare or
encrusted and may sometimes be covered with
webbing. Immature booklice, called "nymphs",
look very similar to adults but are much
smaller. There are four to six nymphal
stages.
Booklice feed primarily on microscopic fungi
and mold. Therefore, they are most often
found in damp, dark areas. Such places may
include basements, crawlspaces, kitchens,
leaky plumbing, unvented storage areas, and
around over-watered houseplants. They may
also show up in recently built homes where
they entered during construction and were
enclosed in a wall after siding and
sheetrock were installed.
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