Lachesilla pedicularia


Lachesilla pedicularia is a species of Psocoptera from the family Lachesillidae. It is commonly known as cosmopolitan grain barklouse or cosmopolitan grain psocid and, as these names suggests, it has an almost cosmopolitan distribution.

Description

Lachesilla pedicularia is 1.5-2 mm long. It is often macropterous, but brachypterous individuals also occur.
Some features distinguishing this from other species of Lachesilla are the abdomen having brown stripes, the forewing being hairless, wing vein R1 meeting the wing edge almost at a right angle, and several other wing veins being marked with brown.
There are also features in the genitalia. The subgenital plate of females forms a simple curved shape, while the hypandrium of males has simple appendages.

Habitat

This species occurs on the trunks and branches of a range of trees, including beech, birch, broom, oak, pine, spruce, and yew. It is also known from haystacks, straw bales, nests of robins, barns, houses, and stored grain.