We are looking for help in identifying what we think is a mite that has infested our house. We also encountered it in our back yard, most especially under our redwood tree. Following is an image taken with a handheld microscope along with a screenshots from a video from when we first discovered their presence. Prior to finding these bugs walking around in the laundry room, our family of four had been getting bit, mostly at night, for about a month and a half. We originally thought they were fleas from our dog, and then thought bed bugs because of the bites at night.
The pest control company we are working with has reduced numbers significantly, but we are still getting bites at night. We are finding fewer and fewer bugs with the sprays they complete (Temprid), but we're wondering if it is indeed a bird mite and whether we need to get rid of all of our upholstered furniture and mattresses.
We're working to get a clearer sample of a bug to send in for identification.
Thank you sincerely for any help and insight you can provide!
I am not sure the bug in the first picture is the same as in the other pictures.
Working with a local pest control company is your best choice for a resolution to the problem. If they want some further information from me, please share my contact information with them. but these problems may take a while to be corrected.
Thank you so much for your time and response! We appreciate it so much.
Based on the pictures of the bugs on the top of the plunger, are you able to make a rough id? The pest control company we are currently working with has said they are either bird mites or rat mites, but we know we need a more specific id to make sure we are on the right path forward. We are also looking for another pest control company that specializes in mites.
Thank you again! We sincerely appreciate your time and help.
None of the pictures would allow a precise ID. You may be better off by collecting some bugs and taking them to a local a university or college with a biology, entomology, or similar department. You can also try to send me some samples in hand sanitizer gel.
Amanda
I hope you have been able to get an identification for your bug.
Hi Dr. Pereira,
Unfortunately (or fortunately), not yet. Our pest control company completed two sprays and numbers have gone way down (after fumigating did not work), but we temporarily moved out of the house due to discomfort from the biting mites, especially for our four year old. We're trying to assess whether the mites are still there and are looking for samples to submit for identification. We're four weeks post removal of a potential host (a nest in our redwood tree), and two weeks post fumigation and subsequent sprays.
Thank you so much for your time and help, and I will be sure to reach out if we find any more bugs.
Take care,
Amanda
I'm going to interject here. The picture that appears to be from a microscope (mite in a circle) seems to be one of the orbatid mites. These are often called seed mites and they are very common residents of soils and rotting organic matter. The other two pictures appear to be one of the bird or mammal-infesting mites. I suspect that they are one of the bird mites, but the species can only be determined through microscopic examination by a mite specialist. Bird and rodent mites can build up large numbers in the nests of their hosts. For birds, when the nest is abandoned, the mites can invade a home or building where they will commonly bite human skin. Fortunately, they can only survive and reproduce with bird hosts. The rodent mites can do the same thing, but they may leave rodent nests or burrows even when the rodents are still present. In any case, I would suggest that your pest management company inspect around your home to see if there are any bird nests built onto the side of the home or in a tree or shrub that is touching the home. Birds can also get into porch roof spaces and attics, so these should be checked also. It has been my experience that once a nest is discovered and removed, the mites will also disappear, but it may take 20-30 days for them to completely die off. Rodent mites (and related mammal mites) can occur wherever mice, rats, squirrels, ground squirrels, raccoons, opossums, or ground hogs have built nests.
Pyrethroid insecticides are usually used to knock down active mites on surfaces, but until you remove the source, they will be a constant annoyance.
