Did a mite Bite Me?

Mites are tiny pests that damage gardens and landscaping. Mites are considered arachnids, a family that includes scorpions, spiders, and ticks.

They eat fruit trees, ornamental houseplants, vegetables, and other common plants. Some live on mammals and birds.

Few mites prefer to bite humans, but they often accidentally land on us and may “test” our skin and blood to see if it’s their normal diet.

Oak Leaf Itch Mite

From late July to early fall, these mites drop from the tree after completing their development, landing on animals and humans and biting them. This bite causes a rash-like and itchy reaction which, at times, can be intense. Scientifically known as Pyemotes herfsi, oak leaf itch mites are nearly invisible to the naked eye.

If you have been bitten by the oak leaf itch mite, you most likely got the mites from a tree with insects that the mites feed on. Sitting, walking, hiking, etc. under such a tree could expose you to the mites.

The oak mite’s bite itches in a manner similar to a mosquito’s. You may not notice that you’ve been bitten until 10-16 hours later. That’s when you notice raised, red areas with a small central blister.

Rodent and bird mites

Rodent and bird mites may bite people when their hosts die or abandon their nests. Three types of rodent mites readily bite humans: the house mouse mite (Liponyssoides saguineus), spiny rat mite (Laelaps echidnina) and tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti). The house mouse mite prefers to suck the blood of mice, but also will bite rats and people, often causing a rash around the bite. They prefer warm places (e.g., around pipes and furnaces) where rodents live. The spiny rat mite feeds on rats at night and hides by day in cracks and crevices around rat nests and resting places. The tropical rat mite’s bite is painful and causes skin irritation and itching.

The northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) and chicken mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) primarily infest chickens, but also pigeons, starlings and sparrows. The northern fowl mite cannot survive for more than a month off its host, while the chicken mite hides in cracks and crevices near bird nests during the day and feeds by night. Cheyletiella mites infest both birds and mammals. They may prey on other mites and insects living on the host’s skin. They can cause a mange-like condition in pets, and itching in people who handle infested pets. They do not stay long on humans.

Chiggers

Two species of chigger mites attack humans and other mammals, birds and reptiles. The nymph and adult stages prey on insects. It is the six-legged larval stage that typically feeds on rodents or ground dwelling birds but will bite people when they are available.

Chigger larvae are red to yellow in color and appear as scarcely visible specks. When they detect the carbon dioxide exhaled by an animal, they climb on soil or vegetation and wave their front legs to contact it, then grasp it with their mouthparts. They do not suck blood but cut into the skin, inject skin-digesting saliva and suck up the liquefied skin.

If not dislodged, the chigger will feed for several days. The bite becomes inflamed, hardens and itches. Chiggers spend most of their lives in cracks in the soil. They are typically found in rural, less disturbed areas, but can persist for years on soil in new subdivisions.