Facts
CALL TODAY
888-670-6010
FACTS ON PESTS | FACTS PEST CONTROL FACTS
Read Google Reviews
| Facts About Biting Mites |
MiteBuster offers treatment for Biting Mites!
Please click on link below for details on our service. Call Us Toll Free: 1-888-670-6010 
OTHER MITES Other mites that can be found in homes include the clover mite and certain mites associated with stored products. Clover mite infestations are common in homes during the late winter and early spring. Clover mites are feeders on grasses and weeds and can sometimes be found invading structures from the outside through windows and doorways. Adult clover mites are approximately 1 mm-long and can be distinguished, under magnification, by their long front pair of legs. These mites sometimes produce a red stain when crushed. Clover mites do not bite people, and are mainly a nuisance pest. Keeping grass and weeds cut short immediately around structural foundations, and maintaining tight seals around windows and doors can help reduce invasion of the home by this pest. Pesticide sprays can be applied to potential entry areas from the outside. Indoor sprays are generally not needed for this pest. Stored product mites are uncommon pests in homes. The grain mite, Acarus siro, is one of the most common stored product mite pests. This mite is found most frequently on processed cereal products (e.g., flour); whole wheat flour is a preferred food source, as are some fungi and molds. Grain mite has also been recorded from cheese, poultry litter, and even from abandoned bee nests. Parasitic mites can be distinguished from stored product mites, only with the use of a high-powered microscope; however the site of the infestation within a home may provide the best clue as to whether the pest is a feeder on stored grains. Most stored grain insects do not bite. Removal of the infested product, and thorough cleaning of the storage area, is usually sufficient to eliminate infestations. High humidity and moisture also favors mite infestations, so moisture control should also be a goal of a storage mite infestation. |
|
Biting Mites
Mites are tiny arthropods, related to ticks. Several types of mites can be found in homes and of these a few may bite humans. Most mites are harmless predators of insects, or feeders on decaying plant material. Some pest mites feed on stored products like cheese and grain. Others are merely nuisance pests, accidentally entering homes from their normal outdoor habitat. Only a few mite species are parasitic on birds or mammals, but these can occasionally become biting pests in homes. Identifying the type of mite is the first step in solving an indoor mite infestation. HUMAN BITING MITES Several types of mites are associated with cases of skin dermatitis in humans. The tropical rat mite, Ornithonyssus bacoti, is one of the most common house invading species. The tropical fowl mite, Ornithonyssus bursa, and northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum, are also frequently encountered in homes. The latter two species are found principally on domestic or wild birds. The house mouse mite, Liponyssoides sanguineus, may also be found in structures with house mouse infestations. The tropical rat mite is a parasite on rats. Although none of these species are truly parasitic on humans or pets, they bite people readily, often producing dermatitis and itching. Rat and bird mite infestations occur in structures where rat or bird nests are located. Infestations are sometimes first noticed following extermination, or after the natural hosts have died or left the structure. Infestations may also occur where heavy mite infestations have developed around a rodent or bird nest. Rat mites are small, approximately the size of the period at the end of this sentence. They move actively and can be picked up with a wet finger, brush or piece of sticky tape. Distinguishing between different species of Ornithonyssus mites to determine whether birds or rodents are the likely source is difficult and requires special expertise. The best first course of action, when faced with biting mite problem is to look for all potential bird or rodent sources. |
|
Authors: Michael Merchant, Ph.D., Urban Entomologist, Texas Agricultural Extension Service and Pete Teel, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University Publication information: This publication is part of the House & Landscape Pest Series produced by the Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2475. The most recent update can be found at: http://165.95.73.17/FastSheets/Ent-1025.html . Series Editor: M. Merchant. For more information about arthropods, check out the Texas A&M Entomology Website at http://insects.tamu.edu Last revision: 10/15/01 The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied. Additional, or updated copies of this fact sheet may be obtained by contacting the author(s) at the Texas Agricultural Extension Svc., 17360 Coit Road, Dallas, Texas 75252-6599. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. All content and images Copyright © 2000, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. |
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
BedBug Facts
Skunk Facts
Raccoon Facts
Cockroach Facts
Mouse Facts