AboutEd Saugstad Expertise Will accept most questions in general entomology, including those related to medical entomology, taxonomy, ecology, arthropod surveillance, and pest management.
If you are requesting a 'mystery bug' identification, PLEASE either attach an image to your question, or post an image on a web page (such as Flickr) so that I can look at it, as verbal descriptions frequently are insufficient for a definitive identification.
Experience 21 years in the U.S. Army as a medical entomologist; duties varied from surveillance of pest populations (including mosquitoes, cockroaches, ticks, and stored products pests) to conducting research on mosquito-virus ecological relationships and mosquito faunal studies. Ten years as a civilian analyst for the Department of Defense, primarily on distribution of vector-borne diseases worldwide. Limited experience on surveillance of agricultural insects in North Dakota and Indiana.
Organizations Entomological Society of America, West Virginia Entomological Society, Society for Vector Ecology, National Speleological Society, West Virginia Association for Cave Studies.
Publications American Journal of Public Health, Contributions of the American Entomological Institute, Japanese Journal of Sanitary Zoology, Journal of Economic Entomology, Mosquito News, and Mosquito Systematics.
Education/Credentials B.S. in entomology from North Dakota State University in 1963, M.S. in entomology from Purdue University in 1967.
This is a photo 200x from my sons eye clops. They look as small as , if not smaller than a grain of sand to the naked eye. Could someone tell me what I'm dealing with.
This is a view of the bottom of the bug, I picked it up with tape. So the top is stuck to the tape but I couldn't get a good photo thru the tape.
My daughter found some of the bugs on a white box that was under her window. Upon inspection, I found many more on her window sill and almost all the window sills in the house.....Please help
All The Best, Lou
Answer Dear Louis - What you have here is an insect commonly known as a booklouse (Psocoptera: Liposcelidae). They are not true lice at all, and for the most part are harmless nuisance pests, feeding primarily on mold spores and bits of organic debris. Occasionally, they may become minor pantry pests, feeding on starchy substances such as flour, especially if these have become damp and moldy. See http://tinyurl.com/mvz4xf for a fact sheet with additional information.
Hope this helps,
Saugy
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