What are the differences between dust mites and other types of mites?

Dust mites are a specific type of mites, and there are many differences between them, such as:

• Habitants and the environment:

Dust mites are one of the types that should live in internal environments. This is because the source of food for dust mites is the dead skin of animals and humans. Also among the conditions that must be found for them to live is moisture, where moisture should range from 70-80%. On the other hand, many other types of mites can adapt to different environments.

• Diet and feeding habits:

Although the main food for dust mites is organic matter for humans and animals, they do not directly bite humans or animals. They only feed on the dead cells of humans and animals. On the other hand, other types of mites have other nutritional preferences such as nourishing plants, fungi, and others.

• Impact on human health:

Also, one of the differences between mites and dust mites is how each of them affects human health. Mites greatly affect human health in several aspects.
First, allergic body reactions. There are many people in whom dust mites can trigger their dust mite allergy symptoms, given that dust mite feces cause allergies in humans if they are inhaled or come into contact with the skin. There are many dust mite allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, rash, and others.
On the other hand, other mite species may also cause allergic reactions in some cases, but their prevalence and impact on human health may vary depending on the species and individual allergies.

Dust mites bites: Do dust mites bite humans?

There is nothing called dust mites bites for humans or even animals, unlike other types of mites that feed directly on human blood cells or skin. However, they depend mainly on flakes of skin that fall from humans or animals for their fo

Are dust mites harmful to health?

Although there is no direct harm caused by them to humans, they are likely to cause allergic reactions in humans.

As mentioned before, dust mites and their feces produce substances that cause allergies to humans, through continuous inhalation of these allergens as a result of their movement in the air, or direct skin contact with them. There are many dust mite allergy symptoms, including:

• Respiratory symptoms:

Among the most prominent dust mite allergy symptoms that can appear on a person as a result of contact with substances produced by dust mites are respiratory system symptoms, such as asthma, cough, difficulty breathing, and others. These substances can also cause people with allergic rhinitis (hay fever) to experience slightly different symptoms such as itchy eyes, runny nose, and sneezing.

•  Skin reactions:

When substances produced by dust mites come into direct contact with the skin, it may produce dust mite allergy symptoms such as skin irritation, redness, and itching, and it can cause eczema, depending on the degree of each person’s sensitivity.

• Eye irritation:

Also among the dust mite allergy symptoms that can appear on a person is eye irritation, where a person feels itching in his eye, tearfulness, redness, and a feeling of discomfort.

As for individuals who suffer from respiratory problems such as asthma, they are more likely to be allergic to dust mites. This is because the substances produced by dust mites cause them major crises, such as exacerbating symptoms and triggering asthma attacks. They pose a danger to those with respiratory diseases.

What are the characteristics of Dust Mites?

Dust mites are microscopic spiders that belong to the Pyroglyphidae family. This type of dust mite only prevails in homes. There are many characteristics of dust mites.

First, the size and shape: The dust mite is very small, and a person cannot see it with the naked eye due to its small size, as the dust mite is only 0.3 mm long. Therefore, it must be seen under a microscope, and when you see it under a microscope, you will find it to be a white insect that tends to be transparent. Its body does not have clear features because it is round and does not have a distinctive shape or segmentation of the body. It also has eight legs and no eyes.

Secondly, the habitat: Dust mites love a very warm and humid environment and cannot live in any other environment. If the temperature in your home ranges between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit, this is the preferred environment for dust mites. Dust mites also prefer humidity levels between 50% to 60%. Dust mites usually thrive in fabrics such as mattresses, blankets, pillows, rugs, and more. In addition, it lives in dusty areas that contain dust.
Thirdly, the gastrointestinal system. As we mentioned before, they feed mainly on house dust and the skin shed from animals and humans. Also, they cannot drink water, but in return, they obtain water from the moisture they are surrounded by, and that is the main reason for needing it. It is difficult to live in places with high humidity.

Fourth, is the life cycle. The life cycle of dust mites is very usual since it starts from eggs, then larvae, then nymph, then adulthood, but what is striking about the life cycle of dust mites, which poses a danger to homeowners, is that dust mites are insects that reproduce very widely, as females can give birth to 100 egg over its lifetime.

How do you know if you have dust mites?

It is difficult to know if there are dust mites in the house or not, due to their small size which means that humans cannot see them with the naked eye, but there are some tricks through which you can know if there are dust mites or not.
One of the most effective methods is the symptoms of allergies and their persistence. As mentioned before, there are many symptoms of allergies such as coughing, shortness of breath, sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, and others. There are also skin allergies such as eczema, itching, redness, and others. Finally, eye allergies such as tears, itching, and redness. If there is a noticeable increase or unusual continuation among household members in any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it must be suspected that there are dust mites.
We can also conclude from unusual morning symptoms. If you find that there are unusual dust mite allergy symptoms, you can suspect that you have inhaled substances secreted by dust mites. An individual can also determine whether there are dust mites in the house or not by monitoring allergies throughout the year. If dust mite allergy symptoms flourish among the residents of the house during the humid seasons of the year, then you can put the possibility of the presence of them in the house. As we mentioned before, they only adapt to a warm, humid environment.

How do dust mites get in your house?

It is easy for dust mites to come from anywhere. Because they are very small in size, they can move very easily from one place to another. Also, since humans cannot see it with the naked eye, they cannot protect themselves and their homes from it until they discover its existence after a long time.

But there are some common places through which dust mites can enter your home. For example, they can enter your home from the air. As we mentioned before, they are very small in size and very light in weight. They can travel through the air from outside to inside your home through open windows and doors, and then they settle in a comfortable area for them inside the home, such as bedding, clothes, and others.

Also, dust mites can enter the house through new purchases, for example, you may buy a new piece of furniture and have a bed mite infestation. If the environment in your home is suitable for it, it will settle and flourish easily.

Finally, lack of cleanliness and ventilation makes your home more vulnerable to infestation, because dust mites feed mainly on dust and the shed skin of animals and humans. If the homeowners do not adhere to cleanliness and ventilation on an ongoing basis, they will be vulnerable to dust mite infestation because they have created an environment suitable for dust mites.

How to prevent dust mites infestation?

There are some simple steps through which you can get rid of dust mites and protect the home and residents from their damage. First, you can use dehumidifiers to maintain your home with low humidity so that the home becomes uninhabitable for dust mites.

Second, you can use some things, such as taking the entire house’s furnishings, including curtains, rugs, mattress covers, pillows, etc., and placing them in hot water at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit until you are sure that you have completely gotten rid of the dust mites that inhabit those furnishings. You should also get rid of stuffed animals because among the favorite places for them are stuffed animals.

Third, after making sure that you have properly cleaned and sterilized all the furnishings in the house, it is best to use dust-resistant covers, because these covers provide strong protection for your home and completely prevent dust mites from settling on them.

Fourth, continuous cleanliness: You must clean the house continuously to get rid of shed skin from humans and animals and to ensure that there are no dust accumulations anywhere in the house, so the house becomes an unsuitable environment for dust mites. To clean the house properly, use a damp cloth and clean all surfaces in the house, and do not forget the window sills and hidden places.

Fifth, it is recommended to change your upholstered furniture to something less upholstered, to protect your home furniture from being infected with dust mites.

Sixth, if you have pets, bathe them regularly and keep them clean and combed, to reduce the hair and skin loss that results from them, which is a suitable environment for dust mites.

Seventh, if you have stuffed toys, pillows, or anything else stuffed at home, you can put those things in the refrigerator until they are all at the same temperature in the refrigerator. This is because dust mites can never live at low temperatures, so they will be eliminated immediately.

How do you get rid of dust mites?

If you are sure that your home is infested with dust mites, you can get rid of them by applying the same methods that we mentioned before about how to protect your home from dust mites. These methods don’t only work for protection but they are also effective in killing dust mites. You can also contact companies that specialize in pest control because they can easily get rid of any type of insect and protect your home for long periods.

Conclusion

In conclusion, dust mites may not affect humans directly, however, they greatly harm human health and put their lives at risk, specifically people who suffer from allergies, whether to the skin or respiratory system. So in this article, we have collected all the details that may blind you about dust mites, how to explore their presence, their effect on humans, how to protect the house from them, and how to get rid of them if the house is infested with them.