A to Z of Pests

House Dust Mite

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus

Appearance

• Adult – 0.2 – 0.5mm.
• A hairy soft cream white body with eight yellow–brown legs.

Lifecycle

• Egg to adult in 10 days (via a larval stage) at normal room temperature.
• An adult female can live for up to two months, laying eggs for the last 30 days of her life.

Habits

• Favours warm moist conditions. Very common in beds, carpets and other soft furnishings.
• Medical conditions that are caused by dust mites include: rhinitis, asthma, and eczema.