Ermones^® Pest Management
                        Your  Pest Control Professional!

Mites

Mites are microorganisms that are parasitic to humans. They are small arthropods and they belong to the Group Arachnida (same Group as Spiders) and the Order of Acarina. Mites may be distinguished from the other groups in the Arachnida by having a body/throax/head more-or-less undivided.
Nearly all Mites are extremely smal in size and they range between 0.5mm up to 2mm.
There are thousands of different Mites but only few can be recognized or are of economic interest to humans.

In Europe the most trouble some is the Itch Mite, but other Mites are also cause trouble. For example, Harvest mites they often bite people in late summer. Here we will present four of these parasites and whenever we feel that other mites also become troublesome in Cyprus or in neighboring countries. 

The four type that are presentet here are:

•  Itch Mite
•  House Dust Mite
•  Bird Mite
•  Storage Mite

Itch Mite - Sarcoptes scabiei

DESCRIPTION

Egg -- Each tiny, oval egg is about 0.2 mm long.

Larva -- The white, circular larva has only three pairs of legs. Too small to be seen with the naked eye, this parasitic stage is about 0.2 mm in diameter.

Nymph -- Also white and circular, the nymph has four pairs of legs. It is only slightly smaller than the adult.

BIOLOGY

Hosts -- Each biological race of the itch mite attacks a specific host. Mammals subject to infestation by races of this parasite include horses, cattle, hogs, dogs, rabbits, sheep, and man. Mites transferred from one type of animal to another cannot survive and soon die, although they may cause some annoyance before dying.

Damage -- Itch mites are the cause of mange. They usually first establish themselves on the least hairy parts of their host's body. On man, such infestations are likely to develop between fingers, behind knees, etc.,; on animals, the mites congregate around the eyes, ears, and nose, on the inner surface of the thighs, etc. Once established, however, the mites may spread to all parts of the body.

Life History -- As a rule, itch mites spend their entire life cycle on the host. However, they can survive in moist bedding without a host for 4 to 6 weeks. In such cases, temperature is a critical factor affecting survival because the mites are most suited to the normal temperature of their host's body.

Unfertilized female adults burrow in thickened, calloused skin. They then return to the surface and mate. A few hours later, fertilized females begin laying eggs along tunnels burrowed in the skin. Egg deposition continues at 2- to 3-day intervals for a month or more. Each female deposits about 10 to 25 eggs every two weeks; however, fewer than 10% of the eggs mature into adults.

Eggs incubate 3 to 5 days before the microscopic larvae emerge. These 6-legged immatures either remain in the skin burrows or enter hair follicles where they develop 2 or 3 days before molting into nymphs. As 8-legged nymphs, the mites feed for 4 to 6 days and develop through 2 instars. These nymphs then become adults and the life cycle is repeated. A new generation can be produced about every two weeks.

CONTROL

Source: North Caroline State University - Cooperative Extension
 

Dust Mites (In Greek: Ακάρεα)

Did you know that you could be sharing your bed with anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million dust mites?

Many people recognize allergy symptoms such as a runny or stuffy nose, itchy, watery eyes and sneezing (allergic rhinoconjunctivitis) from dust exposure related to common household chores such as vacuuming, sweeping, and dusting. House dust exposure can also trigger asthma symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.

House dust mites cause allergic reactions

House dust mites are found in all homes. They are microscopic organisms/bugs that thrive in warm and humid houses with lots of food - human skin. About 80 percent of the material seen floating in a sunbeam is actually skin flakes.
The mites prefer to live in beds and, because we spend about a third of the day in bed, we inhale large quantities of mite allergens. They primarily live on dead skin cells regularly shed from humans. Skin cells and scales, commonly called dander, are often concentrated in lounging area, mattresses, furniture and carpets, may harbor large numbers of these microscopic organisms. A typical used mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites inside.
Ten percent of the weight of a two year old pillow can be composed of dead mites and their droppings.

Dust mites and bacteria are known causes & triggers of allergies & disorders such as asthma & snoring.

Unlike pollen, dust mites are present all year round causing constant allergy - 'perennial' allergic rhinitis. The excretion from the mites dries out and can be launched into the air when someone walks over a rug, sits down in a chair, or shakes the bed clothes, giving allergic people immediate symptoms.

Dust mites like warmth, humidity and dead skin. Lots of it. The ideal room for them to grow in is a bedroom, over centrally heated, under ventilated, with lots of fabric.

Want to know more about House Dust Related Allergies? Visit the American College of Allergy On-Line website.

Biology and Life Cycle

Adult females lay up to 40 to 80 eggs singly or in small groups of three to five. After eggs hatch, a six-legged larva emerges. After the first molt, an eight-legged nymph appears. After two nymphal stages occur, an eight-legged adult emerges. The life cycle from egg to adult is about one month with the adult living an additional one to three months.

The diet is varied with the primary food source, consisting of dander (skin scales) from humans and animals. However, needed nutrients can be provided from fish food flakes, pet food, fungi, cereals, crumbs, etc. Many mite species live in bird's nests, in barns, among stored grain, straw, etc.

House dust mites are cosmopolitan in distribution with much of the research previously done in Europe.

One of the major limiting factors in mite survival and population development is the availability
of water for sorption. Highest mite densities occur in the humid summer months and lowest in
drier winter periods. Dust mite populations are highest in humid regions and lowest in areas of high altitude and/or dry climates.

Due to the large quantity of skin scales sloughed off daily by humans, mites have an abundant food supply. Dust mite antigen levels are measured in bed dust, floor dust, and room air samples. 
Detection in room air was best during cleaning and bed-making activities.

Identification

House dust mites, due to their very small size (250 to 300 microns in length) and translucent bodies, are not visible to the unaided eye. For accurate identification, one needs at least 10X magnification. The adult mite's cuticle (covering) has simple striations that can be seen from both the dorsal (top) view and from the ventral (bottom) view. The ventral view of the house dust mite reveals long setae (hairs) extending from the outer margins of the body and shorter setae on the rest of the body. Through the microscope, one will see many oval-shaped mites scuttling around and over one another. There are eight hairy legs, no eyes, no antennae, a mouthpart group in front of the body (resembles head) and a tough, translucent shell, giving a "fearsome appearance."

Two types are of the greatest economic importance: the American Dust Mite and the European Dust Mite.

Scientific Classification

Sources: The Ohio State University , American College of Allergy On-Line, Environment, Health and Safety Online, North Caroline State University - Cooperative Extension