Removing Mites in NY and NJ

There are thousands of different types of mites found throughout the world, such as bird mites and clover mites. Mites are considered arachnids, just like ticks, but mites are smaller in size. In fact, most types of mites are less than 1 mm in length. Mite identification is key to eliminating an infestation.

Some parasitic mites attack animal hosts, while others reside within the respiratory tracts of their hosts. A few types of mites, such as chiggers, can also transfer diseases to humans.

Removing Mites from Homes

House dust mites feed on dander (dead skin which is shed) from humans and animals. They may also feed on protein based foodstuffs, preferring dried products over products with moisture. Females lay up to 80 eggs and there are several stages of immatures. Populations can explode during humid months as mites are excellent at absorbing moisture from the air.

Habitat

The most common area for finding mites is in the bed due to abundance of dander. House dust mites may also be found in living areas especially carpet, furniture, and clothing. Several home test kits are available to test for dust mites.

Threats

People may be allergic to house dust mite cast skins and droppings. These reactions will not be a rash type of reaction but rather a respiratory constriction, a common symptom of asthma. Itchy, watery eyes may also be symptoms. Approximately 50-80% of asthmatics may have symptoms due to house dust mites.

Removing House Dust Mites from Homes

• Frequently change bed linens. If house dust mites are a serious problem, mattress encasement with a cover tested for house dust mites may be helpful
• Vacuum areas frequently using a HEPA filter vacuum
• Keep humidity low when possible; heating or freezing infested fabric may help
• If asthmatic, avoid playing with children or animals on a carpeted area
• This is not a pest which can be controlled easily; UltraPro Pest can inspect and identify mites in living areas and provide further guidance on control. There are very few products available for the control of house dust mites.

When it comes to indoor mites that bite or cause health issues, according to Mike Merchant, PhD, a professor of entomology at Texas A&M University in Dallas, most spring from animal nests. “Some mites will infest the nests of birds and rats and mice, and when they become abundant, they’ll leave that site and sometimes wander into the house and bite people,” he explains. In most cases, the bites of these mites cause an itchy skin rash, which may feature small lumps or pimples. [source: everydayhealth.com]

“The skin might be very itchy or red for a few days, but then that will taper off,” Merchant says of mite bites. Ice and anti-itch creams like hydrocortisone can help control the swelling and itching. But those symptoms should resolve within a week, he says. (Nearly all species of biting house mites cannot live on human beings, and so they don’t “infest people,” he adds.)

There is one outlier: scabies. These mites infest a person’s skin, in order to lay eggs and to feed, and are usually only passed by direct person-to-person contact. Like other mites, scabies tend to cause an itchy, pimply red rash. But unlike other mites, those rashes will continue to appear unless the person gets medical treatment, usually a prescription-only skin cream or lotion designed to kill scabies.

Dust mites can cause allergies in some people, but these tend to be of the mild, seasonal allergy variety — stuff like a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes. Over-the-counter and prescription allergy meds can help quell dust mite allergies.