What dust mites look like: photos, signs, how to get rid of them

Dust mites (otherwise known as house dust mites) are present in every room where a person lives or visits. These synanthropic insects simply cannot live without people, since the main food products of these creatures are dead cells of the human epidermis. In our article we will take a detailed look at what dust mites are and what they look like, and whether they bite people. We'll tell you what methods are best to get rid of them and what preventive measures to take to prevent their further spread.

Domestic mites (dust mites, also known as bed mites, furniture mites, linen mites, feather mites)

Knowledge about household ticks, what they look like and where they live in a private house or apartment will help you understand what to do with them. First of all, you will have to come to terms with the fact that it is impossible to kill all these uninvited guests, but it is quite possible to prevent the inhabitants of a living space in which bed mites have developed health problems caused by contact with these parasites.

Photo of the parasite under a microscope and its description

Dust mites, which are also called bed mites, furniture mites, mattress mites, linen mites, and feather mites, are so tiny in size that they can only be seen under a microscope. The size of its convex body rarely exceeds 0.5 mm. 4 pairs of legs equipped with suction cups are attached to the body. The outside of the bed mite is covered with a water-repellent layer. You can see what the parasite looks like in a photo taken in macro mode.

Today, science knows about more than 150 types of dust (bed) mites. The most dangerous for people are Dermatophagoides farinae (farina) and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (pteronyssinus).

Dust mite lifestyle

The linen mite starts in an apartment or private house, where it is warm and humid. According to various sources, the optimal temperature regime for the comfortable existence and reproduction of the parasite is 18–26°C. The ideal air humidity for a bed dweller is 55% or higher. These creatures have a relatively short lifespan of 65–80 days. During this period, the female manages to lay up to three hundred eggs.

If a hairy mite lives in flour, grain, plant and animal residues, then the dust mite starts:

• on bookshelves;
• in wardrobes;
• in bedding (pillows, blankets, blankets, bedspreads, mattresses);
• carpets made from materials of natural origin;
• in soft toys;
• on curtains and curtains;
• in magazines and books;
• in furniture upholstery;
• in deposits of old clothes;
• in places where dust accumulates (behind bookcases, wardrobes, furniture).

House ticks do not live alone, only in colonies. There can be up to tens of thousands of them in 1 g of dust. These mites are saprophytes, meaning they feed on dead organic matter. In Latin they are called "dermatophagoides". This means that they eat dead particles of human skin.

What it is?

Definition

House ticks belong to the type of sinatropic mites, that is, they are closely related to humans and their homes, just like mice, cockroaches, bed bugs, etc. At this time, microbiologists have established that there are more than 150 species of these parasites. And more than 10 species can cause an allergic reaction in humans.

The size of these parasites is so small that it is impossible to see them without a microscope. But their number in our house is huge - up to a thousand in just 1 g of dust, and up to hundreds of millions on our bed.

The peculiarity of dust mites is that they cause allergies. Feels good in carpets, feather pillows, mattresses, sofas, bed linen, etc.

All this is located approximately 1 meter from the floor and, when it enters the body, it provokes allergies. If the concentration of dust mites exceeds the norm, asthma may occur.

The dust mite feeds on dead skin particles, which a person loses, as is known, every day, in the amount of 1.5 - 2 g.

The mites themselves leave behind traces - feces, which destroy human skin and are very dangerous because they cause severe allergies.

REFERENCE! Each tick releases up to 20 fecal pellets per day. That is, only 1 mite produces 200% more waste than its own weight!

German scientists from the University of Munich have long proven that in children who live in villages and suburbs, allergies are much less common due to early contact with pets than in residents of cities and large cities who live in relatively sterile conditions, far from living things. nature.

How do they look?

Dust mites belong to the family of arachnids of the arthropod class. Very small, no more than 0.5 mm in size. Not noticeable to the naked eye, they are dangerous to humans and cause asthma and other allergic reactions.

Dust parasites live only 2-3 months, but how much harm and real danger each of them brings! The female can lay 50–60 eggs at a time.

Dust mites thrive in damp rooms, in apartments with high humidity and musty air. They like to live at temperatures from 19 to 25 °C, with air humidity above 55 - 60%.

What dust mites look like and how to recognize them is discussed here.

Existing types

Dust mites are conventionally divided into three types:

1. Pyroglyphid (dermatophagoid: for example d farinae and d pteronyssinus) and some representatives of granary mites that appear from house dust.
2. Predators are mites that feed on pyroglyphid mites.
3. Random ticks brought in from outside and not reproducing in the apartment.

More about the parasite

One of the human companions, the linen or bed mite, lives for several hundred years and is distributed in all parts of the world. He feels comfortable with a person. It feeds on dead skin cells, dandruff, lost hair, hides in the folds of dirty bed linen, in pillows, blankets, mattresses and feels great in a dusty room that has not been cleaned for a long time.

Note! A person does not notice the presence of a bed mite if he has good immunity and does not know what an allergic reaction is.

Sensitive people have it more difficult. Their skin and respiratory organs respond to pest bites with endless runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and skin irritations in the form of a small red rash.

It is possible to examine a bed mite (it is a type of saprophyte) only with the help of a microscope, it is so small.

A tick (as we see it in photographs) looks like this:

• yellow-brown;
• the body is flattened, covered with chitin;
• length – from 0.2 to 0.6 mm;
• six limbs with suction cups;
• head in the shape of a triangle.

An adult tick lives for a month and a half, during which time the female lays more than three hundred eggs.

Habitats

At home, ticks most often settle in beds. The main reason is the availability of food. Bed pests feed on particles of exfoliated skin and sweat. Optimal living conditions are warmth, humidity, and the absence of bright sunlight. In a person’s bed, all these conditions are met.

On a note!

Bed mites, when multiplying rapidly, can settle in other places in an apartment or house, hence the other names of parasites - sofa, mattress, furniture, dust.

Mattress mites settle in furniture, soft toys, interior items, and remain on any surface where a large layer of dust accumulates. It's safe to say that furniture mites are everywhere, always and everywhere. The ideal place is an unmade bed, an old mattress, feather pillows, unwashed bedding with particles of dandruff, skin, and sweat.

Bed or dust mites

Nutritional Features

An interesting feature of the diet of dust mites is that digestion most often occurs outside their body. For this purpose, they place spores of fungi of the genus Aspergillus on organic particles, which carries out the digestion process with the help of enzymes. And only after this the parasite eats the already processed food. As a result, fecal masses are formed, released into the external environment and containing specific proteins Der f1 and Der p1, which cause the destruction and death of human epidermal cells. These substances provoke the appearance of allergy symptoms in people who are prone to these diseases.

Fungal spores carried by ticks also pose a serious health risk. Therefore, at home, the most effective way to combat it is wet cleaning using detergents containing antifungal components.

Why are bites dangerous?

Ticks are capable of transmitting many viral and other diseases, but human infection does not occur during a bite. In any case, scientists have not been able to prove otherwise. Most likely, nature made sure that bed mites had a constant source of food. If a person becomes infected and dies, then ticks will be left without such a source.

Bed tick bites are not completely harmless. For example:

• The human body reacts in a very unique way to the bites of these parasites: severe itching, rashes on the body and other allergic reactions appear. Some people may experience angioedema, which can be fatal. Almost 80% of people on the planet exhibit various allergic reactions to bed tick bites.
• Some people, especially children, scratch their wounds, causing them to fester.
• Iron deficiency anemia may occur, especially in children, if bites occur quite often.
• These parasites do not allow a person to rest normally at night, disturbing the person’s mental balance. Nobody likes having parasites suck your blood every night.

Signs of bed bug infestation, where to look and how to kill them Watch this video on YouTube

The influence of ticks on humans

The greatest harm is caused not by the parasites themselves, but by the shells of dead individuals and feces, which contain proteins hazardous to health. It is important to understand why dust mites are so dangerous. Some people exhibit increased sensitivity to arthropod waste products.

An allergic reaction can be recognized by the following signs:

• systematic attacks of cough that restricts breathing;
• pressure in the chest area;
• redness, itching of the skin;
• shortness of breath and wheezing;
• tearfulness, redness of the organs of vision;
• nasal congestion.

Parasites do not bite humans, and residents of megacities with reduced immune defenses are most susceptible to an allergic reaction. Symptoms appear at night, during cleaning, and also when interacting with woolen products.

In these things, arachnids reproduce most intensively.

It is because of the influence of dust mites that diseases such as asthma, rhinitis, various dermatitis, conjunctivitis, and Quincke's edema most often develop. Sometimes allergies can lead to death.

What do bites look like?

To understand what caused the rashes, you need to know what exactly bed mite bites look like on human skin.

During a bite, the domestic parasite releases an anesthetic substance into the skin, so the bite itself is imperceptible. The effect of the anesthetic lasts 20 minutes, so the tick has time to make several bites and get enough of it.

Where the tick has bitten, a dot of dried blood appears, and redness of the skin is observed around the bite. When a bite is detected, it is important not to scratch the affected area to avoid infection.

For your information!

Bed ticks are nocturnal, and during the day they rest in secluded corners. If bites appear during the day, it means that other parasites are to blame, but not them.

Signs and symptoms of a bed tick bite

1. Unlike a mosquito bite, which will leave behind 1-2 red dots, a tick bite leaves many marks that will be accompanied by itching and will be painful on palpation. In some cases, swelling appears at the bite sites.
2. The itching is so severe that it cannot be ignored. If you compare it with the itching after a wasp sting, it is a little weaker.
3. Compared to bedbug bites, tick bites are larger and the redness is much brighter. If you can see the bug, you won't be able to see the tick.

Bed tick bites have another distinctive feature: the center of the bite looks like a lump with dried blood. Ticks attack a person while he is fast asleep. This time period occurs between 3-5 am.

With a massive accumulation of parasites, the appearance of new tick bites can be observed almost every morning. Insects prefer to bite children and women. If a person sleeps without clothes, the tick runs from place to place, making bites and thus looking for a more favorable place for itself.

A considerable number of people are trying to understand that ticks have appeared in their apartment.

There are dust mites in every apartment, the only difference is their number.

To understand how many there are, it is recommended to pay attention to the following things.

1. interior items. Long pile carpets are a great place for pathogens to grow. In this situation, even a vacuum cleaner will not save you; it will only help disperse them around the apartment. To ensure effective cleaning, it is recommended to buy a vacuum cleaner with a filter. It is recommended to wash curtains once a week, although no one does this.
2. Feather pillows are an ideal breeding ground for mites. Oddly enough, they are also found in synthetic winterizers. The exception is silicone pillows.
3. Mattress. The longer a mattress is used, the more mites it contains.

The presence of dust in the house, uncleaned and unwashed things, dirt on the floor indicate that the house is full of parasites.

Even based on a person’s health status, one can understand that there are ticks in the house.

Symptoms:

• fatigue for no apparent reason;
• constant sneezing, coughing;
• there is chronic weakness;
• labored breathing;
• desire to go outside as soon as possible;
• eyes itch and become red;
• decreased immunity;
• Tears often flow from the eyes;
• snoring at night;
• runny nose in the morning;
• after sleep you want to sleep again;
• insomnia;
• skin rashes.

Many people notice that they don't want to be in their own home. But why such a desire arises is not clear to them. They mainly refer to feeling unwell, which quickly passes if they find themselves in a different environment.

Harm

Unlike forest (street) ticks, domestic parasites do not dig into the human body, trying to get enough of his blood. The danger comes from the waste products of dust mites, which contain special digestive enzymes-proteins that cause various allergic reactions in people, manifested by:

• cough;

• irritation of the skin and mucous membranes;
• lacrimation;
• sneezing and chronic runny nose;
• redness in the throat;
• conjunctivitis.

Mites provoke the appearance of allergic rhinitis and dermatitis. The feces of dust mites that enter the human body along with dust dissolve on the mucous membranes, simultaneously dissolving the cells of the human body along with them, which leads to the aggressiveness of the immune system, associating the waste products of parasites as an allergen with the subsequent appearance of a strong allergic reaction.

For children

Parasites pose the greatest danger to small children who are short in stature and are forced to be relatively close to the floor. According to statistics, 70% of children suffering from bronchial asthma have an allergic reaction to bed mites found in carpeting, old books, furniture upholstery and notebooks. Asthma worsens most often in the autumn and spring.

According to the results of studies conducted by scientists at the University of Massachusetts, children living in rural areas are susceptible to dust mite allergies several times less than their urban peers. This, according to scientists, is due to the fact that children living in the countryside from an early age regularly encounter a variety of domestic animals, in whose fur dust mites live.

For adults

Dust mite bites that infect a person during a night's rest also pose a health hazard. Unlike mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects, when bitten, a dust mite injects an anesthetic substance into the human body, the effect of which continues for the 20 minutes required to saturate the mite.

After bites, the human body becomes covered with a small, hives-like allergic rash, causing severe itching, worsening in the evening and at night.

As a result of dust mite bites, the affected person experiences insomnia and mental imbalance, and severe itching, which forces one to scratch the bite site, can cause pathogenic microorganisms to enter the wounds, followed by the formation of a purulent secretion.

Skin dermatitis also appears when human skin comes into contact with feces of field ticks found in bedding or furniture upholstery. Bright red spots appearing on the skin provoke severe itching and burning. In some cases, scabies may occur, in which the skin becomes covered with small red pimples and is very itchy and itchy. An increase in body temperature may also occur.

Dust mites. Photo

Like most parasites, dust mites are carriers of various infectious diseases, but, according to the results of laboratory studies, it was found that when the parasite bites a person, they are not transmitted.

For animals

Bed mites do not bother pets. Feeding on the remains of fur and dead skin cells, the parasites do not bite the cat or dog, and do not crawl into the ears and nose. Pet fur is a favorite habitat for dust mites, which is why pets living at home need to be combed and washed daily, especially after a walk, with a special shampoo.

In addition to the cat or dog, animals’ favorite resting places should also be cleaned weekly: their beds and rugs.

Signs of ticks

There’s no need to worry too much about how to detect bed mites. They are always available in any house or apartment. The only question is their numbers. You need to pay attention to the following points:

• Mattress. Research has shown that over 7 years of active use, a large proportion of the filler is bed mites. If you examine an old mattress under a microscope after 15 years, the picture will look terrifying. Even without looking for parasites, but knowing the period of use of the mattress, one can assume the presence of mites in it.
• Pillows. Most of all, pests love to live in natural feather pillows. If there are any, you won’t have to look for parasites for long. In second place are synthetic winterizers. Small parasites almost never appear in modern silicone pillows.
• Things, interior items. Pile carpets are a breeding ground for pathogens. A vacuum cleaner does not help the situation; it even helps spread parasites throughout the room. The exception is modern household cleaning appliances with filters instead of the usual bags. Curtains, according to hygiene requirements, must be heat treated once a week, which is rarely done. Any decorative or interior items become a breeding ground for mites without proper care.

On a note!

The presence of dust on furniture, unwashed items, garbage, and street dirt on the floor should alert you.

Tick ​​habitats in the apartment

The presence of parasites can be determined by health status and sensations. The symptoms are as follows:

• increased fatigue;
• desire to leave the room as quickly as possible;
• difficulty breathing;
• causeless cough, sneezing;
• lacrimation, redness of the eyes;
• headache that goes away easily when leaving the room;
• chronic weakness, fatigue;
• poor sleep;
• snore;
• after sleep there is no feeling of complete rest;
• allergic manifestations in the form of skin rashes;
• weak immunity;
• dry cough, runny nose after sleep;
• frequent asthma attacks.

Sometimes a person cannot clearly explain why he cannot be in his own home, but his health improves without additional effort in another place.

Photo

Next you can see a photo of bites on a human body, as well as how the insect looks under a microscope.

Sources

• https://TaraKlop.ru/kleshchi/pylevye-postelnye-kleshhi/
• https://prusakam.net/pylevoj-kleshh/
• https://FB.ru/article/390376/kak-vyiglyadyat-pyilevyie-kleschi-foto-priznaki-kak-izbavitsya
• https://hoznauka.ru/vrediteli/pylevye-kleshchi.html
• https://usatym.net/kleshhi/kak-vyglyadyat-pylevye-kleshhi-foto-priznaki-kak-izbavitsya/
• https://apest.ru/kleshhi/vidy-kleshhej/pylevye-kleshchi/
• https://misterklop.ru/klesshi/pylevye-dermatophagoides-postelnye-kleshhi-10-foto-opisanie-zhiznennyj-tsikl-mesta-obitaniya-12-sredstv-i-sposobov-izbavleniya-ot-kleshhej-samostoyatelno-v- homeashnih-usloviyah
• https://uborkagotovka.ru/vrediteli/pilyeviekleshi/index.html
• https://rusfermer.net/ogorod/vrediteli/pylevoj-kleshh/kak-vyglyadit.html

Reasons for the appearance of bed mites in the house

Parasites do not like sunlight and live in dark corners where there is no good air ventilation. Favorite habitats for parasites: headboards, mattresses, household appliances, soft toys, furniture. Bloodsuckers hunt at night (they are most active from 3 to 5 am). It is not difficult to suspect a bedbug; large colonies of pests cause significant harm to humans and love to feast on the blood of women and small children.

How do pests get into your home? There are several main ways:

• from neighbors. In most cases, ticks look for a new source of food if they are being poisoned in their old place or if unfavorable conditions for existence have appeared;
• transported on various things. Often old sofas and beds are infested with bedbugs; in a new place they willingly drink the blood of their owners. There are often cases when a person spends the night in a hotel that is infested with parasites; some individuals attach themselves to a backpack, other things, and wander into your home;
• Parasites even live in household appliances. If safety rules were not followed at the warehouse, then various pests can migrate into your home through new or used equipment;
• bedbugs cling to pants and sweaters in nature. Parasites can also be brought by pets that often walk outside (it is easier for ticks to jump onto fur and gain a foothold).

There are many ways to infect an apartment with bedbugs, so follow the preventive recommendations that are described at the end of the material. Get rid of a small number of ticks in a timely manner, because it is problematic to overcome a large colony of bloodsuckers.

Learn about the vital functions and incubation period of lice and nits in humans, as well as about the treatment of parasites.

Allergy as the main symptom

Linen mite bites are nothing more than the body’s reaction to parasite excrement. Because the symptoms intensify after sleep, the question arises: do ticks bite at night? Pests do not bite, but close contact with them provokes an allergic reaction of varying severity.

On a note!

Some people experience weakness, headache, and fatigue after sleeping in an infected bed. Others note rhinitis or the presence of a dry cough without other signs of a cold. Those with sensitive skin or people prone to allergies notice rashes on different parts of the body.

External signs of allergy to bed mites: rashes, redness, swelling, itching. No different from the symptoms of an allergic reaction of another etymology. However, in the case of bed mites, treatment does not give the desired result, the allergy becomes chronic, since the unfavorable factor continues to act - excrement. The condition improves only after the destruction of the parasite colony.

Where do dust mites start and live?

Most often, dust mites are concentrated in dusty environments that are difficult to clean, as well as in bedding. They can be found:

• In a pillow filled with natural bird feathers;
• In the mattress, especially if it is old and has not been cleaned for a long time. It is claimed that such mattresses consist of 10% mites;
• In a blanket that is stuffed with cotton wool;
• In a carpet made from natural materials, the pile of which can also be eaten by parasites;
• In bed linen;
• In furniture upholstery;
• In curtains and drapes;
• On bookshelves that are rarely dusted;
• In a bag located in the vacuum cleaner;
• In soft toys made from natural materials;
• In stale old clothes;
• In woolen blankets.

According to statistics, the bed contains the largest number of parasites: up to 2 million individuals can be found here.

The waste products of sofa mites, which cause allergic reactions, enter the air, slowly settle on the surface and gradually accumulate. Allergens get not only onto furniture and things, but also onto human skin and even into the respiratory tract.

Main types of house ticks

House ticks are a separate biological group of parasites that live in the residential environment.
They not only spoil food, clothing and furniture, but also affect the health of humans and animals. The following types of ticks can appear and reproduce in the living environment:

• Hairy house tick. This pest lives in flour, grain, plant and animal residues, and even in cheese and tobacco. Such mites actively develop at a temperature of 23-25 ​​degrees and a relative air humidity of 80-90%. They can cause dermatitis in humans;
• Scabies mite (itching). It develops and parasitizes only on humans in high humidity and warmth. It is the causative agent of scabies;
• Rat mite. The parasite primarily attacks rats, but, in the absence of a natural host, can attack other mammals, as well as humans. Rat mites cause a difficult to treat disease - rat mite dermatitis. This parasite is common in rural areas and poses a danger to its inhabitants;
• Chicken mite. This type of parasite is widespread throughout the world. Mainly lives in nests and droppings of birds, cracks of wooden surfaces. Can parasitize on the surface of human skin, causing skin rashes and irritations;
• Bird mite. This tick parasitizes wild and domestic birds, that is, it lives in close proximity to humans and is capable of attacking them.

Household ticks are dangerous not only because of their bites, but also because of the impact of their own feces on humans and pets.

What causes mites to appear in bed?

Why is the bed most often attacked by dust mites? How do they get here?

The fact is that in every home, despite diligently maintaining cleanliness, there is a small population of these parasites. With frequent cleaning, washing and cleanliness of linen, replacing the filling in feather pillows with a more modern one, the number of mites is kept within the acceptable range: they are not enough to become a source of allergies.

If wet cleaning of premises and changing of bed linen is carried out rarely, a large number of keratinized skin particles accumulate in the layer of dust and on the fabric of bedding, on which clothes mites feed. Thus, favorable conditions are created for their nutrition, development and reproduction.

You should be especially careful: bed mites are often observed in rented apartments and rooms in inexpensive hotels, where guests often change.

Indoor plants will help us

Many research articles have been written about the ability of indoor plants to purify the air. They manage to defeat pathogenic microbes, house dust and the mites that accompany it.

Almost any plants living in an apartment can cope with this if they have large leaves or many, many small ones:

• The first among them is chlorophytum. It can prevent dust allergies;

The larger the indoor plant, the stronger its cleansing properties.

• Hamedorea palm successfully absorbs various toxins;
• various types of ficus successfully purify indoor air;
• Geranium actively disinfects the air. It is even recommended to place it in the nursery;
• Spathiphyllum also has large leaves and especially flowers that fight air pollution.

Dust mites from a medical point of view

Let's now look at the problem from a medical point of view: what is a dust mite? And how to get rid of it? And in general, is this possible? Let's start with the first question. Doctors warn that dust mites are harmful pathogens of bronchial asthma. They can often be carriers of other dangerous infections. In addition to bronchial asthma, they can also cause:

• conjunctivitis;
• rhinitis;
• respiratory allergy;
• allergenic dermatitis;
• Quincke's edema.

Any reaction of the human body to the effects of mites and the enzymes they secrete is summarized under the single name “mite sensitization.”

Possible allergic reactions

Dust mites are the causative agents of severe allergic reactions. Their excrement actively affects the mucous membranes of the body and causes:

• Quincke's edema;
• conjunctivitis and rhinoconjunctivitis;
• allergic dermatitis;
• respiratory allergy;
• rhinitis;
• bronchial asthma.

These reactions can even lead to death.

It is easy to verify that such signs are associated with the presence of house dust. If signs do not appear outside the home and the person’s condition returns to normal, then the conclusion is obvious. In addition, you should pay attention to the period of regression, which occurs from August to October. It is during this period that dust mites actively reproduce, as well as in winter, when the apartment is rarely ventilated and all residents spend most of their time at home.

Following actions:

• Visit a doctor to clarify the diagnosis.
• If the cause of everything is a dust mite, then you need to do some general cleaning without wasting time.
• Subsequently, you will have to get rid of all the old, unnecessary things once and for all.
• Replace window textiles with aluminum blinds or other types of blinds that do not attract dust.
• Get rid of carpets on the walls and floors.
• Make sure that dust is removed with a vacuum cleaner every day.
• Wash and iron bedding and personal hygiene products in a timely manner.

Do dust mites bite?

We have already seen what dust mites look like. From the photos provided, it becomes clear that they do not have “biting” organs as such. In everyday life, we are used to calling a bite - pricks with a sting (for example, a mosquito), pinching the skin with the front claws on the snout (some spiders, forest mites, meadow mites, beetles), etc. But this does not apply to dust mites. Even if they have a hole with some kind of mandibles, with which insects absorb all the same scales of the upper layer of the epidermis that once fell off a person, then they are simply not able to bite the skin tissue with them.

They will not be able to pinch her in any noticeable way. These creatures are so tiny that any of their mechanical effects on the epidermis will be unnoticeable from an anatomical point of view. By their effects on skin tissue, they will not be able to excite more than a single nerve receptor in the human body, regardless of its location.

Plus, dust mites can only digest particles of dead epidermis. Living skin is not food for them. In scale and biological proportions, a tick bite can be compared to what it would be like for a person to want to bite the thigh of a boar that is 100 times larger in size. Firstly, the material is too rough - not suitable for human teeth, and secondly, the surface tissue of a boar's thigh will not be suitable for food.

But some may protest, they say, we’ve all seen what dust mite bites look like, so where do they come from if mites don’t bite?

Description

Dust mites are very small insects (type - arthropods) belonging to the class of arachnids. But this does not mean that they are like a spider in everything. Their limbs are not so long, they are poorly developed, but meanwhile, their strength is enough to move freely. They crawl slowly, constantly looking for provisions, which, in most cases, are dead cells of the human epidermis or the skin of domestic animals.

What do dust mites really look like? Most of all, they resemble bugs if their wings are torn off and their legs are shortened. A special difference is that they do not have a clear division of the body into segments. Their entire carcass, if you can call it that, is a solid “cutlet” (in a reduced form, to a size of 0.1-0.5 mm), slightly narrowed towards the stigma and thickened towards the back of the abdomen. In the front part, the stigma has a pair of small processes, reminiscent of hypertrophied mites, with which the insect sends the edible it finds into its mouth. Some compare them to hippos reduced to microscopic size. This is what a dust mite looks like in the photo, magnified many times over.

They live from 60 to 80 days, during which they manage to go through their entire life cycle, that is, to eat and copulate, after which the female lays up to 60 eggs.

Ways to fight

The consequences of developing an allergy to dust mite waste products can be dealt with by desensitization therapy, including hormonal or antihistamine drugs. But in order not to have to sit on medications for the rest of your life, it is also necessary to begin a widespread fight against dust:

• Heavy blankets, feather beds, mattresses, and pillows should be dry cleaned once a season;
• Items must be ironed while wet on both sides;
• Using only a vacuum cleaner is not enough, and therefore wet cleaning is carried out daily;
• Bedding should be washed once a week;
• It is better to get rid of pile carpets and use homespun or wicker ones instead;
• When choosing furniture, it is better to refuse soft models of sofas, armchairs, and so on;
• It is also worth giving up draping windows with woven materials and purchasing blinds, which are much easier to maintain;
• It is better to keep air humidity within 40%, but not higher;
• The room is ventilated daily;
• Bedding should ideally be replaced with padding polyester or other artificial materials;
• Pets should be groomed regularly (including brushing and washing).

Since dust mites especially love human habitats with a high content of dust and particles of skin, fur, and hair, the first step is to carry out general cleaning. It is necessary to eliminate all places where dust, wool and other debris accumulate, and also look through old cabinets. It is possible that some things have long required airing in the fresh air. The methods of controlling dust pests do not end there.

To make cleaned surfaces unsuitable for further colonization by dust mites, you should wipe them with a special solution. In folk recipes, there is a remedy that many people use at home: add ¼ cup of any liquid soap to 1 liter of water and, after completely mixing, add ½ cup of ammonia. This solution can be wiped over surfaces such as floors, furniture, or added to water when washing.

It is important to realize that only treating bed linen and floors will not give the required results. You need to get rid of dust mites in a comprehensive manner. That is, it is necessary to influence furniture, clothes, soft toys, an animal’s bed, and so on. All dust accumulation areas are treated - from the top of cabinets to baseboards. At the same time, it is necessary to act comprehensively and on all rooms. At the same time, you need to inspect the contents of the cabinets, especially those that are opened no more than once a season - sideboards, pantries, and so on. Dust mites live in them in large numbers, especially if things are folded without being washed.

It is better to get rid of dust mites before serious consequences develop in the form of asthma and its attacks, including anaphylaxis.

Special means

Professional preparations for combating household dust parasites are available in a wide range. Their action is aimed at destroying ticks and preventing re-infection. To increase efficiency, you should maintain order, cleanliness in the house, and wash things regularly.

• ORECK ALLERGEN CONTROL CARPET CLEANER. The carpet cleaner comes in the form of a concentrated emulsion. Manufacturer USA. The active component is the substance trichlorometaphos-3. Immediately before use, the concentrate is added to warm water, applied to carpets, and left to dry. The product does not require rinsing or vacuuming. The price is around 50 dollars.
• Acaricidal aerosol produced in Poland. Convenient bottle with a 400 ml dispenser. There are several active components - benzyl benzoate, transpermethrin, pyriproxyfen. Destroys ticks at any stage of development. Spray on surfaces, exposure time is 7 months. The average price of the drug is 1,700 rubles.
• EASY AIR. Another Polish-made product in the form of a spray. Bottle volume 1 l. The acaricidal concentrate is sold ready-made, poured into a can with a dispenser. Before use, shake well and spray onto the surface. Does not lose properties for about 6 months. The price of the drug is about 1,700 rubles.
• ACARIL ALLERSEARCH. A special concentrate that is added to water when washing clothes and bedding. Manufacturer USA. The bottle volume is 250 ml, enough for 12 washes. The product is safe for health, does not allow laundry to shed, and does not cause an allergic reaction. Active ingredients: tea tree oil, alcohols, methyl salicylate. The price of a professional drug is 2700 rubles.
• MILBIOL. Produced in spray form in Switzerland. Convenient bottle with dispenser. Volume 250 ml. The drug is of moderate toxicity. After use, the area should be thoroughly ventilated. Designed for treating carpets and furniture in places where there is the greatest concentration of parasites. The price of the spray is about 170 rubles.

When washing, it is recommended to add a small amount of chlorine-containing detergent. The most affordable product is Whiteness. When wet cleaning the house, you should first prepare a solution. Add laundry soap and baking soda to the water.

Cifox

This is a concentrated liquid containing cypermethrin. A product used to kill insects and arthropods. Used for disinfestation against lice, scabies, and dust mite infestation. The advantage of the insectoacaricidal agent is the ability to provide protection for 1-3 months. On the street, the drug lasts less long. Tsifoks does not perform a repellent function. However, after processing the clothing, the parasite will die if it gets on such material.

The disadvantage of the product is toxicity.

X-mite

Release form: powder. It is used for washing carpets, mattresses, and upholstered furniture. The drug is intended to reduce the risk of developing allergies due to infection of the premises by bed mites, how to get rid of parasites at home using this remedy: its mechanism of action is based on the neutralization of allergens contained in the excrement of parasites. In addition, X-mite helps relieve other allergens: certain types of pollen, cat dander, and allergens created by other pets.

Contains tanacetan, tannic acid.

All-Rug

This is an anti-allergenic shampoo. Designed for cleaning carpets and upholstered furniture. Used to protect against dust mites. In case of severe infection, the product is diluted in a ratio of 1:30; in case of moderate infection, the proportions change (1:60). In the most severe cases or when it is necessary to quickly obtain maximum effect, it is permissible to use a solution of 1:16. Main components:

• nonionic and anionic surfactants;
• tetrasodium ethylenediamine tetraacetate;
• ACARIL.

The product cleans furniture and carpets of pollen, allergens from dust mites, pets, and mold.

Medilis-CIPER

This remedy is used against various pests. Available in liquid form. The concentration of the active component (cypermethrin) is 25%. The drug protects against ticks for 2 months. Pyrethroid affects the nervous system of parasites. Death does not come immediately. At first the pests are paralyzed. The solution must be used after preparation, since its duration of action in finished form is 8 hours. The product is available in bottles of 50, 250 and 500 ml, as well as canisters of 5 liters.

Medilis-COMFORT

The drug is used against ticks, bedbugs, fleas, mosquitoes, horseflies, midges, midges, and mosquitoes. Active ingredients: DEET, alphacypermethrin. The product is characterized by a prolonged action. Its advantage is the ability to protect a person for 20 days. After 3 weeks, re-treatment is carried out.

Effective methods for treating bites

The body of many people responds adequately to bed tick bites, and they heal on their own within a few days. There are people when they need to provide emergency assistance, since their body reacts very specifically. In cases where atypical reactions occur, it is necessary to:

• Thoroughly wash the bite areas with soap or soda solution, after which they are rinsed with clean running water. To prepare the solution, you need to take a glass of water and add to it a tablespoon of soda or liquid soap.
• Bite areas should be disinfected with any alcohol-containing product, such as vodka or moonshine, cologne or perfume.
• Severe itching indicates an allergic reaction. To reduce these symptoms, you can use both pharmaceutical and folk remedies.

Folk remedies

There are a number of effective and proven recipes. For example:

• Bite areas should be wiped with pure vinegar. There is no need to rinse off the product.
• You can apply a piece of ice or some product from the freezer to the bite site.
• If you apply a used bag of black or green tea to the site of the bite, this will relieve the victim of discomfort.
• Lotions are also made based on medicinal herbs. St. John's wort is considered the most effective remedy. To prepare the solution, you need to take a tablespoon of St. John's wort and pour a glass of boiling water. After the infusion has cooled, a cotton pad is soaked in the infusion and applied to the wound for half an hour. Herbs such as chamomile or calendula are suitable. The product is prepared in the same way as using St. John's wort.
• Treatment with a composition based on aloe and plantain. After mixing the ingredients, the wound is treated several times a day. The juices of these plants help reduce swelling of the bite site, reduce itching and have an antibacterial effect.
• Onion and garlic juice combined together act on the bite site in a similar way. The smell of onions and garlic, in addition to relieving discomfort, helps repel these bloodsuckers.
• You should drink at least 5 tablets of activated carbon to remove toxins from the body as quickly as possible.

As a rule, folk remedies help a person cope with negative consequences in the initial stages. If these remedies do not cope with the task, then you should use pharmaceutical remedies. Alternatively, you can use essential oils, which have the same effect as herbal infusions.

Recommended essential oils from plants such as:

• Lemon.
• Orange.
• Lavender.
• Geranium.
• Tea tree.
• Needles.
• Juniper.
• Cypress.
• Sagebrush.
• Mint.

Medications

There are both special remedies developed for the bites of various insects, and non-special ones, but which cope with this task. The thing is that each body reacts differently to bed tick bites.

As a rule, the following pharmaceutical products are used:

• Special ointments “Fenistil” and “Rescuer”. These remedies have a wide spectrum of action and help relieve the victim of negative consequences.
• Vietnamese star, which is characterized by the manifestation of an antibacterial effect.
• Afloderm helps to cope with severe itching.
• Propolis tincture is effective against any bites.
• Afloderm ointment is used with Tavegil, which helps relieve the symptoms of allergic reactions.
• The “Tsindol” talker will easily cope with the task.
• Akriderm perfectly relieves signs of inflammatory processes.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Dust mite bites are a myth. The insect does not bite, does not drink blood, does not carry infection and does not pose any other danger other than allergies. Its oral apparatus is simply not equipped to bite through the epidermis. However, several of its similar-sized “brothers” can easily do this. For example, eyelash mites cause inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis). With the help of microscopic claws and a needle-shaped mouthparts, it pierces the epidermis and buries its head into the base of the eyelashes. The truth is that he might get stuck there forever, because he can’t move backwards.

• Are bed mites a parasite? The insect can be scolded with this word, but in fact it is a saprophage, because it feeds on the organic remains of our skin. A couple of grams of epithelium, which are lost by a person per day, is enough for a million individuals to eat “from the belly.” At the same time, they will create mountains of allergenic excrement, because each person will have bowel movements about 20 times a day.

• Bed mites and mold. Both are always present in the apartment, especially getting along in warm, humid conditions. Mold can cause pneumonia with decreased immunity, as well as respiratory allergies. In collaboration with pyroglyphids, the latter property increases significantly. The dead horny scales of the epidermis are glued together by fungi, begin to disintegrate and are easily eaten by mites. Mold helps in the nutrition and digestion of an unwanted apartment guest.

• Ticks and bed bugs are both called bed bugs. But these are two different pests. The bug is a real parasite, a nocturnal bloodsucker; its only source of food is the blood of humans and animals. The bug is visible to the naked eye - a red-brown insect 3-8 mm in size with a flattened body. The main harm is bites that interfere with normal sleep, as well as the spread of infections.

• "Brothers" in size. Household microscopic mites are not limited to pyroglyphids. We have already mentioned eyelash mites. The scabies mite, like the dust mite, also feeds on the keratin of the skin. Only females make passages in the epidermis, leaving saliva, eggs and excrement there, to which an immune-allergic reaction occurs. Flour mites can be found in flour, dried fruits, and cheese. Upon contact with it, flour scabies develops - an occupational disease of bakers, bakery workers or flour warehouses. The external auditory canal can be parasitized by the ear mite Otodectes cynotis. It creeps into the human ear from cats and dogs.

Preparations to combat dust mites

In winter, many things that presumably serve as habitat for dust mites can be exposed to frost for several hours, which the parasites cannot tolerate. Keeping things at high temperatures and in direct sunlight will be equally successful. But in order to completely destroy or at least significantly reduce the tick population, it is necessary to use insecto-acaricides - special chemical agents against ticks and other parasites:

• Medilis-CIPER is a remedy against dust mites, which also copes with a wide range of parasites - from mosquitoes to bedbugs;
• Medilis-Permifen is a diverse composition used against synanthropic pests;
• Medilis-Super is one of the most powerful drugs that can cope with a significant infestation of various types of insects.

These products have been tested in practice and have shown impressive results. They were able to cope with mosquitoes, midges, midges, cockroaches, ticks of various types, and so on. Protection after treatment with their use lasts about one and a half months. During this time, you can work out methods for preventing dust mites from damaging your living space. It is not always possible to completely cope with it, but it is always possible to significantly reduce the population, thereby alleviating the patient’s condition, with the help of high-quality methods and drugs.

Prevention

To avoid turning your home into a habitat for a colony of parasites, you must adhere to a few simple rules:

• do not enter living quarters in street clothes and, especially, do not sit on the bed in them and, if possible, wash them immediately;
• do wet cleaning daily and regularly clean with a vacuum cleaner, not forgetting hard-to-reach places where dust accumulates;
• regularly clean curtains, bedspreads and carpets, and, if possible, abandon textile products or replace them with synthetic ones;
• regular treatment of floors and furniture surfaces with disinfectants;
• frequent steaming of bedspreads, upholstery, soft toys;
• regular washing and combing of pets, daily removal of hair from the floor and furniture;
• in winter, carpets, pillows and blankets can be taken out onto the balcony or outside.

Sub-zero temperatures are no less destructive for pests than heat.

The use of such simple methods can not only reduce the number of linen mites, but also prevent the formation of other harmful parasites.

Prevention and timely destruction of household pests is much more effective and simpler than treating the consequences of the appearance of parasites in the house, therefore it is recommended that regular sanitary treatment of rooms, timely dry cleaning of textile surfaces and treatment of bed mattresses and pillows will significantly reduce the threat of diseases that can be caused by insects.

It is necessary to be attentive to the regular change of bed linen, in which parasites most often appear.

Destruction measures

In a specialized store you can find a wide variety of products that can help get rid of ticks that have multiplied in your home. In most cases, these products are sprays that are completely safe for humans, but at the same time, lethal for hated insects.

They should be used to treat mattresses, pillows and blankets. The removed bedding can be soaked in hot water so that all the creatures nesting in it can die. The most comfortable temperature for these insects is 15-25 °C. Frost or high temperatures are fatal to them.

Special cleaning products in the form of concentrated shampoos are produced for treating carpets and rugs. If you wipe floors and other surfaces with a solution of such a product, as well as clean carpets, all the pests inhabiting them will certainly go to the next world.

Be that as it may, no remedy will help you get rid of dust mites 100%. But it is possible for humans to reduce the insect population to a safe minimum.