Size: Females before eating -undetectable (223
microns); after eating-size of a small pea.
Male - undetectable (160 microns).
Damage: Normally beneficial as they attack insect larvae infesting grass or grain. Occasionally, mites attack humans if their normal feed sources are reduced.
Life Cycle: The life cycle of this tiny pest is quite interesting. The female, who can be seen only after she has eaten, bites a larva, person or animal, and engourges herself. Utilizing this food, up to 300 eggs in the female's abdomen develop. Males, who are parasitic to the female, breed with newly emerged females. The newly born and bred female gives birth to her own young within 6 to 7 days.
Symptoms: Dermatitis, including red welts with a small white pustule (head) at the center. One to several hundred bites can occur on a person or animal. The bite is not felt and can take from 2 to 24 hours for resulting welts to appear. Severe cases can cause infection, fever, vomiting, and joint pain. Many people believe the mites infest their beds or homes, but this is not true. Severe itching and possible infection can occur if bites are scratched open. Itching may last up to a week or more. Welts will disappear normally within a few weeks.
Treatment: Treatment is not recommended for most situations unless mites are infesting stored grains or hay barns. Removal of infested grain or fumigation of hay barn may be necessary in severe cases. In homes where the mite has been brought in on a persons clothing or other carrier (such as pets), the mite will not live more than 24 hours without eating.
Avoid grassy areas and shower with plenty of soap after being in grassy or weedy areas. Mite populations should decrease or completely disappear with the onset of our first frost.
Information sources and reviewers include: Dr. Linda Butler, Dr. James Amrine, and Dr. John Baniecki.
