Very distressed by what I've just found. Help!

[Waitinginthewings]

I've just discovered lots of tiny, tiny bugs in a backroom. They are all over a big book shelf, kids art stuff and toys. It's a room I haven't been in for ages. I had an operation and have been recovering. It's a ages since room has been cleaned properly. What can I do?! The place looks like there are probably hundreds, maybe more of these minute creatures. I've just killed 10. They don't fly. I would just throw everything out and bleach everywhere but I don't want to lose all my books. There's lots of paperwork/ books that I don't want to lose if possible. Any suggestions?! I'm desperate to get rid of them as fast as possible and hopefully stop them spreading round the house. I've not seen them anywhere else- all other rooms are cleaned every week. Thanks!

@Waitinginthewings

I don't think there's a damp problem in the room. I'm really struggling to get a picture. They move very fast and are microscopically small.

How to get rid of Booklice They do not bite and can be easily eradicated. To resolve the issue we would recommend removing any infested food, wipe away any visible mould, thoroughly ventilate and dry the area where they are found.

Good ventilation is key to success. Opening windows and doors as much as possible to ventilate and dry out the damp is essential. Use of a dehumidifier might help this process. Alternatively, heat the room where they occur to a high temperature as they survive poorly in dry heat

For a heavy Booklice infestation, we would recommend you contact professional pest control company, preferably a member of the BPCA to administer an insecticidal spray treatment to minimise the problem. A trained professional will have the technical knowledge and access to a range of professional use products and equipment which are not available to the public.

I was going to say carpet beetle. I got Carpet Beetle Killer Strips from Amazon and they were all dead in about two weeks with no more new ones.

But yes, you need to identify it before you find the remedy.

I was thinking thunderbugs (thrips) too. Very common in hot weather.

I was thinking thunder flies/bugs too. There are lots about at the moment.

Bed bugs love books/paper/wood!

Catch a few on a bit of selotape and take a pic

Spray Acclaim flea spray in there and close the door. Don't inhale it. That'll kill them. Repeat every few days to kill any new hatchings.

@Dontsayyouloveme

Bed bugs love books/paper/wood!

They wouldn't be crawling all over an unoccupied room in the middle of the day.

Also those fuckers get big!

Bed bugs look like apple pips from a distance.

I don't think you need to bother with species identification. Just spray the daylights out of the place with Indorex or Acclaim.

Indorex kills everything.. remove plants, pets and people: spray, leave the room closed.

I do it once a year, and have NO spiders, flies, caterpillars, unidentifiable bugs. (Victorian semi, open brickwork)

It is amazing stuff, but stock up as it is hard to get hold of in spring (flea season 😩)

I don't think it's a great idea to start spraying noxious chemicals around if it's not necessary. Depending on what it is, you might just need to open the window and leave the room closed for a day or two so they can disperse - or just hoover them up, which you'd have to do anyway after you'd killed them all.

Anyway I want to know what they are now so please go and get the sellotape

I had something like that. Our dog loves to hide his little chewsticks. He, unbenouced to me, hide one in a large basket of rolled up blankets in our bedroom.

Little beetles somehow found it and the basket was infested. Really gross.

I had to throw out the basket and hot wash the blankets.

They were drugstore beetles.
www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjw4M7a3vnxAhVMgp4KHYGGDUQQFjAKegQIBhAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.orkincanada.ca%2Fpests%2Fbeetles%2Fdrugstore-beetles%2F&usg=AOvVaw12AarvtpoIZv-05zA04jQT3

Diatomaceous earth is non-toxic, and kills things in all life stages - basically by drying them out. It's unlikely that they are bed bugs unless you've been moving stuff around, but the hatchling bugs are like a pin-head and move very fast indeed.

If you can get DE I'd sprinkle it around in the room liberally and then set about establishing what they are and how best to deal with them. DE won't harm you or your pets, but it will dry out your skin, and if ingested it kills internal parasites too.

Fascinating thread.

All I can say is it's unlikely to be bed bugs.

Just today's offering!! Thunder flies.

Having read this, I'm now putting my money on booklice:

www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/thread/8629.html

Pest control smoke bomb or fly spray or ant powder.

Are they very tiny? Thrips or thunder flies.

@Waitinginthewings get a can of this. It kills everything from wasps, spiders and, on one unfortunate visit to a hostel, bed bugs. It’s so strong that even if there is a bit of spray residue left on a window and a fly buzzes on the window, it is then killed. (I would like to say I no longer use it as I have pets but I know it works)

groceries.asda.com/product/insect-sprays-pest-control/raid-fly-wasp-killer/910002066861

is there a piece of old fruit decaying somewhere in the room. you need to clear it and find the source

Dust mites?

Those definitely look like thunder flies, OP. We call them corn flies up here, as they always come at this time of year when the fields are ripe for harvest.
They get everywhere, even inside picture frames. I had one inside my laptop screen, bloody annoying until it died!
You don’t need to do anything, they’re harmless - just dust and hoover once they’re all dead, which won’t be long.

Just hatched baby spiders? Why is everyone suggesting killing them, they might be perfectly harmless.

We had pigeon mites. Do you have solar panels? We had birds nesting under the panels & the mites got into the bedroom. You could see them crawling across a TV screen.