Frequently asked questions about dust mites

Frequently asked questions about dust mites:

What is a house dust mite?
House dust mites are little relatives of a spider, feeding on dead skin. Dust mites are too small to be observed with the naked eye, so you can only view them under a microscope.

How long does a dust mite live?
20 to 30 days in average.

What do they feed on?
House dust mites mostly eat dead skin they find in the dust inside your house – on bedcovers, furniture, and clothes.

Do house dust mites cause any health troubles?
Their droppings can cause such respiratory problems as wheezing.

What magnification shall I need to view house dust mites?
As they can’t be observed with the naked eye, you can view house dust mites under a microscope with 10x magnification.

What do they look like?
Dust mites are eight-legged, globular shaped, creamy white arachnids.

What is their biological name?
Dermatophagoides farinae.

What sort of climate and environment do house dust mites thrive in?
They feel comfortable and thrive in the place with the temperature of 77oF and the relative humidity of 75%. Fully-carpeted room is the ideal place for their habitat.

Can boric acid kill house dust mites?
Applying boric acid to the surfaces – for example, your carpeting – may kill the house dust mites, but it will also leave an irritant residue for humans and animals.

How many house dust mites can be found in an ordinary bed?
There can be up to ten million house dust mites settling in your bed, as it doesn’t take long for them (about half a year) to make a new bed mattress their habitat.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 26th, 2010 at 9:24 am and is filed under Dust mites, dust mite information. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.