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Differences between bed bug nymphs and psocids

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peppy

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Oct 27 2010 15:10:13
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I was hoping someone might be able to help me identify the differences between bed bug nymphs and psocids. I have come across a few psocids lately, and have a lot of trouble telling them apart from bb nymphs.

I know that the defined neck is one difference. On the psocid, is the head typically bigger than the neck, so that the neck is the narrowest segment on the bug? On the bedbug, is the head typically the narrowest segment?

Are there differences I should be looking for in the face shape?

In the main part of the body, it looks to me like the psocid has more of an oval body, where the bed bug's is more rounded/wider. Is that right? The shape of the body on what I found looked to me like the shape of the body of a bed bug nymph after it has fed. Is it that the body shape of the psocid is like that of a fed bedbug, but that an unfed bedbug will have a more rounded body shape?

I know spidey mentioned that the bed bug has antennae with four segments, while the psocid does not.

Is there anything else that can help distinguish the two? I have come across several psocids in my home, and every time I really panic that it's a bed bug. When I look at photos of the two online, I can see differences but still have trouble identifying what I find in my home.

Thanks! (And to anyone who also saw this question at the end of a thread I posted a few days ago; sorry for the repetition. I figured this should be its own thread.)
spideyjg

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Oct 27 2010 17:01:31
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Antennae differences and the dark flat nose on psocids are the easiest things to spot.

Jim
peppy

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Oct 27 2010 17:07:40
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Thanks! I have a question about the antennae. On the photos I have seen on psocids, it almost looks like they have two sets of antennae: a very short, stubby set and a longer set. Bed bugs don't appear to have those? Any idea if that's accurate?
loubugs

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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Oct 27 2010 21:18:38
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Insects have only a pair of antenna. It is possible that the other set you see are actually labial or maxillary palpi (mouthpart structures), most probably maxillary. All true bugs (insect order Hemiptera) have modified mouthparts that are like segmented beaks, so none have palpi. Bed bug and booklouse antennae are very different. The heads are very different from one another. Booklice have an enlarged front section, clypeus, of the head. Bed bugs have a triangular shaped head (point in front).
peppy

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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Oct 28 2010 19:28:04
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Thanks Lou! So in this photo, do you see what I am considering the two sets of antennae? Is one of those sets the palpi? And I guess I should be able to identify this as a psocid because of the enlarged front part of the head, which does not end in a point (although it does narrow a bit)?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14941819@N07/5115871926/in/set-72157625241538734/
nycyn

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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Oct 28 2010 21:36:38
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Your image hosting site requires Yahoo log in. Maybe photobucket?
peppy

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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Oct 28 2010 21:59:47
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Argh, sorry. http://s1035.photobucket.com/albums/a431/peppy815/?action=view&current=DSC06623.jpg&#!oZZ5QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1035.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa431%2Fpeppy815%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DDSC06618.jpg%26