Gumbo Limbo Psocids: Harmless Barklice Need No Treatment

Psocids on Gumbo Limbo: Benign Barklice

A gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba) with psocids (barklice) on one branch has harmless scavengers requiring no treatment.

Psocid Facts

• Tiny (1–2 mm), soft-bodied, often gregarious.
• Feed on algae, fungi, lichens, dead insects, pollen on bark.
• Do not feed on living plant tissue.
• Produce light webbing (some species) — protective, not damaging.
• Common on smooth-barked trees in warm, humid climates.

Why No Treatment Needed

• Not pests—part of bark ecosystem.
• Populations self-regulate.
• Insecticides harm beneficials more than psocids.
• Will disappear with weather/season changes.

Verification

Search "psocids barklice" for images. Match your observation. If they're not damaging leaves/twigs, they're psocids.

Enjoy your gumbo limbo's "clean-up crew." They're doing you a favor.