:: Dust Mites - Description

Dust Mites - Description and Facts

Dust mites are tiny, only .2-.3 millimeters long and combined with the fact that they have no true color they are essentially invisible. They feed on human or animal skin flakes that exist in your home. (Humans and animals both lose flakes of skin naturally.) This is a primary reason that they congregate in and around the bed the place that we spend the largest percentage of our day.

Dust mites have eight legs and are related to fleas, spiders and ticks. (Mites are not an insect but an arachnid having eight legs.) Their life span is approximately 45-90 days (they reach the adult stage in 3-4 weeks) but in that time period a female mite will lay between 30-70 eggs.

Considering the short life span and large reproduction capability the numbers of dust mites that exist in your can be staggering. For Example it is estimated that your mattress probably has millions living inside of it.

Dust mites do not bite or sting and unless you are allergic to them they are harmless. Their cast off skins and fecal matter collect wherever they are located and can create allergy symptoms, bronchial asthma, and skin allergies in people. In fact dust mite droppings are likely the most common allergy in humans. Throughout it's life a single mite may produce up to 200 times its body weight in waste!

Take look at Tips to Reduce Dust Mites Impact or back to Allergies and Carpets.