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I found this bug in my apartment in Chicago. We had bed bugs in our house the previous year (but we thought we got rid of them). This bug was very small - maybe 2 millimeters in length. These photos are all of the very same bug (just different lighting).

bug photos

Oreotrephes
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bearMountain
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1 Answers1

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This is a really old thread but just in case someone happens upon it, this isn't a bed bug.

I am not an expert but it looks like it's likely a book louse or psocid. See comparison photos of unfed first instar bed bug nymphs vs. psocids/booklice here: http://bedbugger.com/2008/03/04/booklice/ It's all about the shape of the head and body.

bedbugger
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  • I agree, I've had book lice in my Fly lab before and this looks rather like it! – rg255 Apr 24 '14 at 09:56
  • Thanks for following up with this. I think you're right, the photo you linked to looks spot on. Actually, the lady in the apartment above us had lice one or two times during this period - so that must have been what I found. Actually, I'm relieved, I'd rather fight lice than bed bugs. Either way, our apartment seems to be bug free now. – bearMountain Apr 27 '14 at 15:25
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    This is deifnitely a psocid species. See here for another SE example. – theforestecologist Mar 17 '16 at 01:51
  • Also book lice are not the same as head lice (and are in fact in totally different orders) – theforestecologist Mar 17 '16 at 01:56
  • Wow, the internet is weird! Can't believe that I took a photo of a very tiny bug with my phone and then someone across the world identified it. Modern society is pretty trippy man. – bearMountain Mar 17 '16 at 22:14