Subject: What is it, and how do I kill it?
Location: NE Ohio
July 26, 2013 11:52 am
Hello! My name is Logan (female). I have discovered some kind of teeny tiny bug (mites, I think) in my bed and the area surrounding it. I’ve burned my sheets and vaccummed like crazy, but they’re still there. I havnt noticed any bites, but maybe I’m just lucky. They’re much too small to be bedbugs. I’ve lived in the same house for 19 years and never experienced this problem before. About a month ago I took a trip to Honduras, so I’m wondering if I brought back some hitchhikers. I was thinking they might be tropical rat mites, but I’m not sure because we have no rats or birds they could live on. It’s been hot and humid in NE Ohio. I tried to play detective and looked at one under my microscope. I managed to get some good pictures. If anyone could take a stab at what this creepy bug is, I’d be forever greatful! Thanks!
Signature: Logan
Hi Logan,
This is certainly a Mite, but we haven’t the necessary expertise to determine which species. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to supply an identification.
The mite photographed by Logan is probably a dermanyssid from the Mesostigmata and looks close to a member of the Laelapinae . Probably feeds on other mites et al and possibly supplements on fungal/plant material. Suspect bird’s nest in the roof space. Probably cannot feed on humans! Could try clearing the specimens before mounting on a slide! Otherwise, I’m not so sure.
Thank you for your knowledgeable comment.
I am pretty certain that is a type of bird mite, and if that’s the case you should check places on your body where they bite. The biting happen at night, and often in places like behind your ear, along the hair-line, or places on your body where skin folds. Here’s two places you can get good info, birdmites.org & check this great site out with this article …
they have a you tube page also, search ‘online derm. Good luck, I had a bird mite nightmare & got way too much education on related subjects/problems, before I found the solution.
Sincerely,
bo
http://www.onlinedermclinic.com/archive/avian-mite-dermatitis
Thank you Bo.
No doubt, first these mites may bite you but many never get a reaction, deer ticks and bed bugs share this trait. That said many can be bitten by said bugs and get anywhere from a mild to extreme reaction. Second, as I read and fully believe the first commenter on this post, he obviously has a great depth of knowledge and understanding of insects & mites, wherein it is fascinating to read his comment and sense even he isn’t fully certain what the mite and it’s characteristics are. I say that cause I had a long standing issue that couldn’t be diagnosed by five different doctors and two of them were dermatologists. This mite is one of the more common ones that infest homes, but through my seven year nightmare, and what I learned along the way, it saddens me to think how many have suffered with the same issue but never found the answer. Delusional parasitosis is real and many people suffer from it, but again it saddens me to think how many dermatologists and how many like cases as I, where these same doctors, not psychiatrists, prescribe a psychotropic to a patient who thought such but was rebuffed for whatever number of reasons. The horror stories related to this issue are real, and many of them last many years before resolution. The mental anguish, and related problems have literately consumed and destroyed lives. Far too many exterminators have a hard time solving this problem, probably due to the size of the mite, which adds another layer of confusion to this affected person’s anguish. There’s a link on birdmites.org which can assist whoever in finding the right exterminator with experience with birdmites. Here’s the link to a video I noted in my previous comment, by all appearances and how the clip is presented, he’s a professional and reputable dermatologist, who describes a few reason why this problem is frequently misdiagnosed. He also wrote the article in the link from my first comment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Niz0aWtmA
Thank you for your very insightful comment. We have suggested Delusory Parasitosis as a possibility several times in the past, but we always preface that suggestion with the information that we are not experts and the person experiencing the problem should seek a professional opinion.
Thankfully I found a dermatologist who was familiar with these mites and the characteristics of what the bites look like and most importantly where on the body they usually bite. That video at online derm describes these clues the same. That’s what brought it all together with my problem and on the right path to finally solving it. I left that appointment, went home, and within the hour I had found half a dozen of them. I was looking for a needle in a haystack, but I just didn’t know what the needle looked like.