Liposcelis

Liposcelis is a genus of insects in the order Psocoptera, the booklice and barklice. There are about 126 species. Many species are associated with human habitation and several are well known as pests of stored products. The genus is distributed nearly worldwide.

These booklice mainly attack grain stores. They reduce weight and quality, invade packaged foodstuffs, and infest storage facilities. Even when they do little damage, their mere presence in a shipment of food makes the product unacceptable to buyers. Their importance as pests has grown in recent years due to greater recognition of their presence in stored products and the lack of control options.

These insects belong to the same order as lice, Phthiraptera, which are well-known parasites of various animals. Notably, one species within this group, Liposcelis bostrychophila, has been identified as a carrier of Rickettsia felis, a pathogen that can affect both humans and cats.

Species include: