Saturday, July 09, 2011

Tiny, White, Bugs In Homes - What Are They?

Have you ever found tiny white bugs crawling on the kitchen counter or over a sack of dry pet food, or in some similar situation? The bugs are too small to see clearly and are often described as "salt" or "sugar" until they are seen to move! If you look very close, with a magnifying glass, you'll probably see long "hairs" from tiny round bodies.

There are a couple of things that people describe this way but in my experience mold mites, also called grain mites, are the most common. See this page about mold mites for a close-up drawing of a mold mite.

These mites feed on mold that grows on damp surfaces so are always associated with excess moisture in one way or another. Their presence in kitchens can indicate a leaky pipe or dishwasher. The mites don't bite or cause any harm but some people will experience an allergic reaction to large numbers of mites similar to dust mite allergy. In fact mold mites are related to dust mites.

The only treatment that is needed is to control the sources of moisture. Once the area dries out the mites will go away.

See the 'Bugs Website for additional information about household insect & mite pests.



Emma Connolly said...

Could be mould mites! Tiny white insects that look like moving dust.. they love humid & warm places so air out the house & spray the RED raid on them .. should get rid of them! Hope this helps

GamingSol said...

Or... you could just leave them. If they eat mold and don't bite of harm in any way (unless you're allergic), just leave them. They are just extra protein if they get in your food, and they only provide an anxiety issue if you cannot handle the little things. Same thing with ants, get rid of waste and, if they get in your food, extra protein. It's not like they are roaches or anything, they are not packed full of diseases.

Spencer Grant said...

but really are the dangers? Like on a humanistic level good day be harmful to one's body? I have a set of tea plants that I'm growing indoors that I noticed that have white tiny bugs living in the soil and In, on and around it. as I said this is indoors I'm in apartment its in another room, is this problem?? =/ Help?

vonfreemangone said...

these things also live on my eye lids and they can be pulled off with a pair of tweezers using them side ways. then put it up to a light and gently tap on the tweezeers then you will see littls white things flying away