Oftentimes you will hear someone mention “mites” as a possible cause to a skin rash or itch. However, they are you might not actually know what they are. Let alone how to deal with them.

So What Is a Mite?

First off, it is rarely one mite. Mites are small (think the size of the period at the end of this sentence small) parasites that thrive off host environments. Often in the East Tennessee area we find that mites get in and around homes through wildlife that has made their home in and around your home. Their hosts could be birds or rodents (mice, rats, even cats) which get into your attic spaces or under the crawl spaces. Then, once they die off the mites will go looking for new hosts. Or, if you get close enough (like in the case of a cat) the mites will just move over to you.

Mite various in type and preference of hosts. There are actually mites that prefer insects as their hosts. It is not what we normally come across, but they are out there. Likely what people reference when you have a rash or itch as being ‘mites’ is Scabies or a human itch mite. Sometimes people will be referencing ‘chiggers’ which is the common term for Trombiculidae mites.

So What Do I Do If I Have Mites?

Your first course of action to get rid of mites is all dependent on what and where the mites are originating from. If you are getting mites in your home and it can be determined that rodent is bringing them into the home then, obviously, the plan is to get rid of the rodent and prevent access to the home. From there you can clean and disinfect areas to get rid of the mites. As professional pest control exterminators, we have access to use some sprays and dusts that can be more effective than a consumer grade product. If the mites have found their way

If the mites have found their way onto your skin then you can get various lotions/creams or medicines to help kill the mites. It is very important to follow directions for applications because getting rid of mites is highly dependent on the thoroughness of you treatments.

Imagine that you will need to thoroughly cover your body, possibly cover much of your families body, wash and clean the home with great detail.  Mites are often microscopic and can easily be missed with a haphazard cleaning.

Mites might not be the highest priority pest in your life, however, they can quickly become a real nuisance if an infestation arises and you let the problem persist.