Infestation!

[hallenhe]

This morning, I discovered approximately a hundred million minuscule arthropods on and in Egil the Gargoyle Gecko's cage. They were moving, so we couldn't determine whether they had six or eight legs when we looked under the hand lens; they looked slightly more elongate and softer-bodied than I am accustomed to seeing with mites, so I would guess insects. They were not in evidence yesterday. I am at somewhat of a loss to account for whence they appeared; I did get a new hollow cork log at the pet store last night and put it in Egil's cage. This is the only new addition in a while; it's hard to believe gazillions of insects popped out of it, as it was sitting perfectly sterile-looking on a dry and dusty shelf, but maybe going into the humid terrarium brought them out of dormancy?
Egil has been moved to a clean screen cage with a single (clean) branch and a water dish; he did not appear to be infested himself. Our thought is to take the infested cage outside, wrap it up for a couple days with mothballs, then air it out for a good long time until no traces of Noxious Fumes remain.
Any other thoughts or suggestions, either on the origin of the infestation or treating it?

 

[JackP308]

take it outside and just clean it real good. Disinfect rinse replant pot and set up.

If you think items of cage have the bugs sterilize or use new stuff. New plants logs ect.

 

[laurie]

I have no idea, but hope you can get rid of them and that you don't share. lol

 

[pssh]

Perhaps hexapods? Springtails and the like?

 

[hallenhe]

They're not much bigger than springtails, but I've seen many a springtail in my days, and these don't quite fit the bill. We're kind of thinking they might be Psocids (booklice/barklice). I'm just hoping that they were, in fact, limited to his cage, and have not been able to spread sufficient to start a new infestation.
If only I had baby pygmeleons at present; what a delicious treat I could have given them!