Dust mites are ancient creatures that have adapted well to a variety of environments and are closely related to spiders, scorpions and ticks. They are members of the. Although not exclusively found in homes they have adapted very well to our environment and thrive in domestic settings.

There are three common types of house dust mites that we are interested in. All of these different species of dust mites are very common and not restricted to one part of the world and all three species may be found in the same area. The American dust mite is probably the most common because it is found worldwide.

• The American house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
• The European house dust mite Dermatophagoides farinae
• The Euroglyphus maynei which is widely distributed

The average life span of a male dust mite is about 10 to 19 days and females live as long as 60 to 70 days. During the female dust mites life span it will lay between 60 and 100 eggs and the life cycle from egg to adult is about 1 month with the adult living an additional 1-3 months. It is important to note that during a typical dust mite life span it will produce about 2000 pieces of fecal matter.

What do dust mites eat

Dust mites consume organic material and that’s where humans enter the picture. People shed many skin cells (dander) every day and so do our pets. This provides enough nourishment to feed millions of dust mites.

Dust mites don’t drink water, they absorb moisture from their surrounding environment and that is why they do better when humidity levels are above 50 percent. People loose moisture constantly. When we are in our beds sleeping humidity levels and temperatures are perfect for dust mites.

What do mites look like

The common house dust mite is about .015 inches long (.4 millimeters) which makes them virtually impossible to see without a microscope or some other form of magnification. Male dust mites are smaller than the females.

Their bodies are oval and plump and very sparsely covered with tiny hairs. They have eight legs like their cousin the spider and their bodies are a translucent creamy white color. Their color is determined by what they have been feeding.

Where do dust mites come from

Dust mites are all around us and it is impossible to avoid them. They are on our cloths, carpets, furniture, in our mattresses, bedding and pillows, at work and any place that has food and favorable humidity conditions. They are transported from place to place on our cloths and other household items.

Because of their light weight they can become airborne when we move around our homes or when making our beds. We even transport them to and from work.

There are many sources of information about dustmites and how to control their sometimes large populations. Most sources agree that they are not easy to eliminate entirely but that controlling their numbers is the best strategy when dealing with the allergic reactions that many of us have to their waste.