Bernice, let me echo Carolyn's thoughts on these critters. Both the brown
scavenger beetle (fungus beetle) and psocids indicate that you have moisture
problems. Either high humidity or leakage. A combination of controlling the
moisture and housekeeping usually does the trick. Look for leakage, maybe from
an HVAC, maybe from related to roofing problems or building maintenance. The
last time I dealt with the scavenger beetle we discovered that the mortar
around some stone blocks was completely disintegrated. Once it was repaired the
bugs left and a bunch of other chronic water problems disappeared!
Gretchen
Sent from my iPhone
On May 26, 2015, at 4:00 PM, Carolyn Leckie
clec...@mus-nature.camailto:clec...@mus-nature.ca wrote:
Hi Bernice
I just thought I would add a few practical words about our experience with
these pests.
We have sporadic appearance of both booklouse (psocids) and minute brown
scavenger beetles. They come and go.
While we do not like them, after much experience, research and reflection (I
can provide more info if you like) we tend to mentally classify them as
humidity indicators or warning signs of potentially more damaging humidity
related pests e.g. silverfish. That is not to mean we ignore them. In one area
of the building we know why we have a small cyclical problem with the minute
brown scavenger beetle (50%RH and hygroscopic cellulose in a fireproofing
material on overhead metal beams). In the other room there is a small HVAC unit
with an emergency drip pan underneath and a drain tube that leads to a bucket.
We think the occasional drips of water that wind up in the bucket cause the
spike in psocids. We hope to work with Faclities to find a slightly better
system that the bucket.
Ironically we try to call the booklouse, psocids because we find it a little
less alarming and helps us keep it in perspective when we are monitoring their
numbers.
I hope that helps
Carolyn Leckie
Conservator
Canadian Museum of Nature
From: Louis Sorkin [mailto:sor...@amnh.org]
Sent: May-26-15 3:12 PM
To: pestlist@museumpests.netmailto:pestlist@museumpests.net
Subject: [pestlist] RE: identification help please
BTW there's also a booklouse in one of the pictures (the one with the pale
beetle).
Sorry, misspelled in this sentence. Ventral views and tarsal views would help,
but the latter might be difficult to provide.
From: Louis Sorkin [mailto:sor...@amnh.org]
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2015 1:44 PM
To: pestlist@museumpests.netmailto:pestlist@museumpests.net
Subject: [pestlist] RE: identification help please
The paler one might be a bit younger than the darker one and hasn't yet tanned
and darkened. These look like members of the Latridiidae and probably belong to
a species of Corticarina or Corticaria, possibly leaning toward a member of the
first genus. Vental views and tarsal views would help, but the latter might be
difficult to provide.
Louis N. Sorkin, B.C.E.
Entomologist, Arachnologist, Myriapodologist
Division of Invertebrate Zoology
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, New York 10024-5192
sor...@amnh.orgmailto:sor...@amnh.org
212-769-5613 voice
212-769-5277 fax
The New York Entomological Society, Inc.
www.nyentsoc.orghttp://www.nyentsoc.org/
n...@amnh.orgmailto:n...@amnh.org
From: Morris, Bernice [mailto:bernice.mor...@philamuseum.org]
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2015 10:30 AM
To: pestlist@museumpests.netmailto:pestlist@museumpests.net
Subject: [pestlist] identification help please
Can anyone help me to identify these small insects? They are about 2mm long and
were found near wooden objects.
Many thanks!
Bernice
Bernice Morris
Associate Conservator of Costume and Textiles
Philadelphia Museum of Art
215-684-7579
bernice.mor...@philamuseum.orgmailto:bernice.mor...@philamuseum.org
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