Bark louse

7371.      Tons of these little guys on the balcony above mine at my apartment building. It is a wooden balcony. They seem to leave a fine sand like debris that falls down onto my balcony. They don’t appear to be IN the wood but there are 100s of them on the surface. Any idea what they are and how I can get rid of them? (Or how my land lord can get rid of them) Halifax, Nova Scotia. Canada

 

Number 7371.      This is a bark louse (order Psocodea); these are completely harmless, feeding primarily on mould, pollen, fragments of dead insects, algae, and lichens. There is no need for control, but if their presence is objectionable, simply wash them away with a stream of water. See Bark louse life cycle .