Mites

Barely visible to the naked eye, mites have eight legs and a round body and are seldom noticed until they have built up sufficient numbers to be a major infestation. They are not insects but are arachnids, related to spiders.

Species of Mite
  • House Dust Mite – most houses have these as they live on our mattresses, feeding on tiny particles of shed skin.
  • Furniture Mite – occurs in damp upholstery.
  • Flour Mite – infests damp cereals or pasta and causes “Grocer’s Itch”, in people who handle infested commodities.
  • Bird Mites – frequently enter houses from old nests of sparrows, starlings or house martins, or from poultry.
  • Harvest Mites – may bite people if brought in on the coats of dogs or on clothing.
  • Red Spider Mite – the most conspicuous mite that enters houses. A plant feeder which comes indoors in spring to seek egg-laying sites and again in autumn to hibernate.

The most common mite species that we as pest technicians generally deal with is the Bird Mite. These tiny creatures are barely visible to the naked eye individually but due to the fact that they are often in their hundreds and thousands they can be spotted.

Bird Mites are so called due to the fact that they are generally found in and around bird nests where they feed from their host bird. Once the bird has vacated the nest and doesn’t return the mites have lost their host and so need to find a new food source.

If the nest is in a loft, the roof eaves or even on top of a satellite dish the mites will enter the property and will start biting pets and people. They can often be found on window sills of upstairs rooms directly below where the birds nest is located. We strongly advise seeking help from professional pest technicians as any home remedy or DIY attempt to fix the problem is often unsuccessful. We will remove the birds nest from site and treat that area, as well as all other areas the mites are found with an insecticidal spray or fog. We will then use non toxic monitors to ensure the mites are gone for good.

Click here to enquire about EnviroShield mites pest control services.

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