They Make Life Miserable

Infestations of bird mites arise on ledges where pigeons roost, trees where grackles sleep, and cavities provide nest spots for starlings, swallows, and sparrows.  The mites either jump off the bird or off a feather that has been shed and spread to find more birds to infest.  Bird mites follow a trail of carbon dioxide, heat, and movement, causing humans to be mistaken for birds and bite them.  

Some bird mites feed on feathers, while others feed on blood. From my experience, Both bird mites bite and cause considerable annoyance and loss of sleep.  The bite from a bird mite while sleeping is a sharp sting!

The true source of bird mites is usually apparent.  To identify the species, you can catch a few of them. Use a lint roller by pressing it against the area of your body where you were just bitten. You could also try rolling the lint roller on a wall nearest the nest on the outside.  Identify them yourself using magnification and identification keys.  An option would be to take the tape-bound biters to a county extension agent, professional pest control company, or pest control store. They should be able to identify your sample. This will help determine the source and the brand of miticide that will be most effective to treat them.

Bird Mites Themselves

Bird mites are small.  It is less than one millimeter and requires magnification of 40-100 times.  Bites from them have a quick sting and are very itchy. A bird mite infestation can be confused with having lice or scabies.  Bites often occur to people while they are in bed or sitting still in an office. Marks often appear as 1/4” red marks about a day after a bite.  They may not all belong to the same species, but their bites do, Maddeningyssus!  A local pharmacist or organic food store can recommend brands of lotion to put on the bites.  I’ve used Benadryl and anti-itch creams such as cortisone cream.

Pest Control for Bird Mites

iPro Pest Control services include removing Bird Mites.  Mites are not insects, and treating them with insecticides is usually ineffective. The area where birds nesting should be sanitized and treated with a residual miticide.  A non-residual surface sanitizer that will serve as a miticide is recommended but should be followed by a residual miticide treatment. iPro Pest Control will treat nests immediately before removing them, after removing them, and after cleaning them.  This is to stop mites from spreading once their food source has been removed or after they have been disturbed.  

The mites will bail ship if chicks or a nesting bird has been there and is suddenly removed. Subsequently, they will look for another food source. This is why bird mite attacks increase as a nesting barn swallows or pigeons start to leave the nest and as chicks move around. The mites’ food source is moving around, so they begin to move around. It is like kicking an ant pile.

If the mite infestation is in the home, clothing, bedding walls, baseboards, furniture, and fixtures near the nest or roost should be treated.  Steri-Fab is again recommended for this. Be sure to read the specimen label and follow all directions. Call the manufacturer if you have any questions.

If you think you have mites or a pest bird problem, contact iPro today for a free estimate!