Dust mite: what is it, what is dangerous, what types of domestic animals are there, where do they live and what are they afraid of?

Dust is present in any apartment. Despite daily cleaning, there are still places that are almost impossible to reach with a rag and vacuum cleaner. It is these places that dust mites prefer. Due to its relatively small size, parasites manage to go unnoticed in a person’s home for a long period.

In this article, you can find out how dangerous this insect is and how to deal with this parasite.

What it is?

A dust mite is a microscopic arachnid that lives in a person’s home. They prefer places where dust and small scales of people's skin accumulate - blankets, pillows, mattresses.

The tick was discovered in 1964 by the biologist A.V. Levenguk.

One tick per day is able to generate waste 2 times its own weight.

Appearance

It is impossible to examine parasites with the naked eye. Under the microscope, they look quite unpleasant: a body up to 0.5 mm long, 4 pairs of legs with suction cups at the end, covered with a water-repellent shell. There are no eyes, they are oriented in space with the help of sensory abilities, they can feel the victim at a distance of up to 10 meters.

How arachnids appeared in a person’s dwelling is not known for certain. It is believed that they originally lived in bird nests. And only then, with feathers and down, with which people stuffed pillows and blankets, they got into houses and apartments and now everyone has it.

They prefer moist and warm places where there is a lot of food. Ideal for them is a person’s bed.

Existing species

Scientists know more than 150 types of dust mites.

Short-life parasite - only 65-80 days. During this period, the female tick is able to lay more than three hundred eggs. Arachnids multiply rapidly and live in almost any corner of our planet.

Several types of household dust mites are known:

Pyroglyphide (barn).
Predators (eat their own kind).
Random (brought into the apartment by chance. They are not able to reproduce indoors).

All these types of pests are dangerous to humans.

Where live?

Ticks feed on dead particles of human skin, live mainly in mattresses, pillows: there is a lot of food and warmth. They live in large colonies. The bed is considered to be an ideal place for them: dark, warm, humid, a lot of food in the form of dead skin of a person. Because of this, they are often called bed mites.

Under such conditions, parasites can multiply rapidly. Other habitats of the tick in the apartment are also known:

in soft toys;
in a vacuum cleaner;
on bookshelves;
in upholstery of upholstered furniture;
in down jackets and other clothes;
in pet hair.

The most dangerous is a vacuum cleaner. Arachnids, multiplying in a bag to collect dust, when you turn on the vacuum cleaner, they are carried by air currents throughout the apartment.

Causes

Ticks live in almost all houses and apartments. The main reasons for their occurrence are:

insufficient human hygiene;
litter of cabinets and shelves;
the abundance of carpets and rugs;
irregular and poor quality cleaning.

The combination of these factors can lead to dangerous diseases.

What is dangerous for humans and pets?

The tick itself is not dangerous for people. They can bite, both adults and children, but it is almost imperceptible. The greatest harm is done by its waste products, which often exceed the size of the pest itself. Together with dust, tick feces rise into the air, settle for a long time and easily and imperceptibly enter the human respiratory tract.

For adult

Relatively safe is considered the number of ticks 100 pcs per 1 gram of dust. If a bed tick actively propagates in a house, a number of unpleasant symptoms can occur in people:

conjunctivitis;
dry mucous membranes;
peeling of the skin;
itching
eczema;
intestinal inflammation.

There is an allergy to a dust mite.

For a child

Ticks pose the greatest danger to children. Children are shorter, are closer to the floor, often play on the carpet and on the bed. More than 70% of children with asthma are allergic to bed ticks.

Exacerbation of the disease most often occurs in autumn and spring - these are periods of active reproduction of parasites. In rare cases, dust mites cause atopic dermatitis - an allergic inflammation of the skin on the face and body.

For any allergic manifestation, exacerbation of bronchitis or asthma, you must consult a doctor: an allergist or immunologist!

For pets

Pests practically do not interfere with animals: they are not able to bite through the skin of a pet, do not crawl into the ears and nose, do not cause allergies in cats and dogs. In animal hair, ticks can live and reproduce, thereby causing harm to humans. Wash your pet's litter more often. Wash his paws, and if possible bathe the whole. Comb out the coat.

Important!In no case do not scratch the animal on the carpet. Do it in the hallway or in the bathroom. Be sure to wash the floor around after the procedure.

What are the inhabitants of dust afraid of?

The greatest accumulation of ticks is usually observed in bed.. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically ventilate and dry the blankets and pillows. Parasites are afraid:

frost
bright sun;
wind;
iron and any heat treatment;
salt.

Sometimes treat the floors with saline, be sure to iron the sheets after washing, take out pillows and blankets in the summer in the sun, and in the winter in the cold.

How to get rid of them?

Simple rules of how to remove parasites and prevent their reproduction:

Wet your house regularly.
Wipe off dust on all accessible surfaces.
Use disinfectant solutions when washing floors.
Change your bedding more often. Pillows and blankets regularly take out to dry.
Do not be lazy to iron duvet covers and sheets after washing.
Always clean the vacuum cleaner after cleaning - the dust bag is the habitat for ticks.
It is prudent to use synthetic pillows. All natural packing is dangerous.
Change pillows and blankets at least once every 7 years.
Get rid of the abundance of textiles in the house: remove carpets, carpet. Wash curtains regularly - they accumulate dust.
Wipe dust in bookcases and cupboards with dishes at least once a week. Wash dishes in water with a disinfectant.

Reference. Synthetic-filled pillows are washable. Instead of curtains on windows, try hanging plastic shutters - they collect less dust and are easier to care for.

You can reduce the dust mite population in an apartment to safe in three days. The air purifier with special products that are sold in hardware stores has proven its effectiveness.

Prevention of occurrence

The key to the absence of bed ticks in the house - cleanliness:

Wash floors at least once a week.
Purchase a vacuum cleaner with an Aqua Filter so that the mites do not fly out from the back.
Get rid of all the sweetheart trinkets: they collect dust. All surfaces must be wiped with a damp cloth at least every 2-3 days.
Wash bedding in hot water, at least 80^°C. After drying, be sure to iron.
Always dry your clothes thoroughly after washing. Any slightly damp thing, when put in the closet, becomes the habitat of ticks.
Do not clutter up cabinets. Throw away all unnecessary hats, fur coats, down jackets - all these are dust stores.

Equip your home so that ticks have as few places as possible for living and breeding. Follow the rules of personal hygiene. Take care and bathe your pets. Then ticks will have no chance of survival.