important facts about dust mite infestations
DESCRIPTION
Less than half a millimeter in size, the humble dust mite and its kin are common guests in most homes throughout the United States. They are barely visible to the naked eye, and thus often go unnoticed. Yet this widespread bug is also a frequent target for extermination. What is it about dust mites that make them such a problem?TRANSCRIPT
Important Facts About Dust Mite Infestations
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Less than half a millimeter in size, the humble dust mite and its kin
are common guests in most homes throughout the United States. They
are barely visible to the naked eye, and thus often go unnoticed. Yet this
widespread bug is also a frequent target for extermination. What is it
about dust mites that make them such a problem?
Dust mite habitat and feeding habits
Dust mites feed on dead skin and hair, and they thrive in bedrooms, kitchens, and other areas with frequent human presence. Mites make their home in things, such as mattresses and carpets, usually with hundreds of thousands, or even millions of them, in any one location. They do well in humid and poorly ventilated indoor conditions, making air quality an important factor in controlling their growth.
Health issues surrounding mites
They are fairly harmless from a health standpoint, as they rarely transmit diseases, but they are still not a welcome presence. Their skin and fecal matter can irritate nasal passages, while aggravating allergies, asthma, and other conditions. High quantities of them make the problem even worse, which is why families will often spend much time and effort in reducing the local mite population.
Symptoms of mite allergies
Almost half of American homes have dust mite levels that are high enough to cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. It is often easy to spot an infestation, as the home’s inhabitants will usually show the most common symptoms. This includes sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, and many more. The larger an infestation is, the worse the symptoms usually become.
Though dust mites pose no immediate health threat, experts agree that removing them is still in the best interests of families. Keeping them around leads to chronic discomfort and irritation in varying degrees of severity. For a more comfortable home environment, it is important that their numbers be controlled.
Sources:
http://abscoolteamac.com
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/dust-allergies
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pcmites.htm