Help me we have tiny little moving bug things in DS's toybox!!!!

[ILikeYourSleeves]

Argh just when I thought it couldn't get worse! I just finished cleaning out the entire cupboard under the stairs as there was mould and just there when I was getting some toys for DS, I picked up his wooden jigsaw board thing and wiped it with my hand as there were 'bits' on it (I thought it was tiny bits of sawdust as it's a fairly new toy) but they move! They are TINY and pale looking and are wandering across some toys. Gross. They are also on lots of his other toys but mainly seemed to be on the wooden toy. His toys are all kept in a set of 3 wooden rattan baskets I only got from Asda about 2 months ago. Not sure how long they've been there as I've not really looked that closely at his toys.

Does anyone know what they are? Or more importantly how to get rid of them???? Would they be harmful to us or DS? I feel itchy just thinking about it

YUK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are the toys in a box, or just under the stairs in the main cupboard bit?

In otherwords, do you think they have come from the cupboard, or the thing the toys were contained in?

Need to eliminate some possiblities first.

We had rattan baskets before that had bugs in them. We noticed there was lots of sawdusty type stuff on the windowledge (where basket was kept) further investigations found a little grub type thing inthe wood. It could also be silverfish if it is damp.

Good luck on eradicating the little blighters!!

A wash in fairy liquid solution maybe?

could be some of those beasties that feed on wood and paper.

carpet beetles?

www.scambs.gov.uk/Environment/Pestsandnuisance/InsectPests/carpetbeetles.htm

silverfish?

www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=2732&pageNumber=7

I don;t think there is a massive risk to human health

I was thinking silver fish too - you'll know if it's them because they move in a very particular way, which earns them their fishy name!

No I don't think they are either silverfish or carpet beetles as they are TINY as in even less than 1mm. You wouldn't even notice them if you didn't watch them move as they are pale too.

The rattan baskets aren't under the stairs, they are sitting beside the fireplace in the living room which has no signs of any other creepy crawlyness (as far as I can see). They sit on top of one another and it seems to be the bottom one with the most bugs. I am thinking we should bin the baskets and wash all the toys....? Peed of though cos the baskets were £20 and look really nice!

Any other suggestions?

are they like weevils?

Not sure if they are weevils are they not a bit bigger too? And do weevils not like food in which case why are they in our toy baskets? Or maybe they are feeding off the actual basket... I think they like wood anyway given they seemed to be more on the wooden toy and not the plastic stuff.

After looking online I think they are psocids

extension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/pests/g07370.htm

Will have to chuck the baskets out and clean everything argh. Bog bog bog bog boggin!!!

...apparantly 30% of households have these! And they occur in clean houses, just in case you thought I was living in a midden LOL. Think we will get a dehumidifier too as they seem too like moisture and we have had a damp problem too.

Bloody houses!

Ick, booklice!

If you have any books nearby, make sure you treat them (stick in a plastic bag and freeze for 24 hours).

Going to freeze some stuff now, the baskets are sitting next to a pile of DS's books too so they will need to be frozen.

Best get a new toy box too!

Have you got a big damp problem or is it more localised?

If it is mainly in places like the understairs cupboard, consider something like this rather than a big dehumidifier.

Have bought plastic boxes with lids, rattan type ones need to be kept away from damp areas ideally. Boggin indeed!

Under our stairs was a bag of bird food in another bag, no holes and masses of weevils came crawling out when I opened it. eeek.