When the weather starts getting cooler, people begin thinking about the holiday season and spending time with their families. What they aren’t thinking about are clover mites.
The clover mite is about the size of the head of a pin, and it isn’t a danger to human health, but it is still a nuisance pest, and finding out how to get rid of clover mites is important. Professional pest control in Western Massachusetts from American Pest Solutions is your best option for clover mite control, but knowing more about how this pest behaves is useful in keeping your home free of clover mites.
Habits And Behaviors Of Clover Mites
Clover mites in Western Massachusetts become more active as temperatures drop and they begin gorging themselves on many types of plant species, including some flowers. When summer comes, clover mites lay their eggs and they become inactive, remaining that way until the weather turns cooler. The clover mite eggs, hidden in cracks and crevices of a home’s exterior or between walls, will hatch in the spring and the cycle begins again.
Clover mites reproduce parthenogenically, meaning without fertilization. Each female can lay up to 70 eggs, which can mature in as little as four weeks. In the spring, the eggs hatch and mature, and the new adults begin to reproduce immediately. These huge populations typically move indoors in the colder months when the vegetation on which they feed becomes sparse.
Clover Mite Infestations Can Be A Nuisance In Your Home
Because of their tiny size, you may think that clover mites wouldn’t be as much of a problem as some of the larger pests, but when they invade your home, they may swarm inside in very large numbers, sometimes in the hundreds of thousands. They can get into your house through tiny cracks and crevices around your windows and doors, in addition to your foundation and exterior walls.
The most infuriating problem you will have with clover mites is the staining they cause. Since they travel in such huge numbers, if they get crushed, they will leave red stains behind that will ruin things like clothing, curtains, furniture, and rugs.
What Attracts Clover Mites Into Homes?
Before you can understand why there are clover mites in your Western Massachusetts house, you need to know what’s drawing them there in the first place.
What are clover mites? Identification of this species of mite is easy, because of their bright red color, although some may be more green or brown, depending on their diet. Closely related to both spiders and ticks, they are found throughout the United States, including the Northwest.
Here are five things that can draw clover mites into your home:
- Houses with a lot of vegetation surrounding them are more vulnerable to clover mite incursions because populations of pests are higher.
- Homes with damp perimeters can increase the chances of an infestation. Clover mites feed on plants that live in damp areas as well as mold and mildew.
- Clover mites feed on this same mold and mildew outside a dwelling if dampness has caused wood rot and/or water damage.
- Weeds can create the perfect breeding environment for Clover Mites.
- Organic debris left unattended can create wet conditions that clover mites are drawn to.
If you've discovered a clover mite infestation, it's time to enlist the help of pest control professionals.
The Best Way To Keep Clover Mites Out Of Your Home
If you’re dealing with a clover mite infestation and still need to know how to get rid of clover mites in your home, American Pest Solutions is here to help. Contact us now for immediate assistance and a no-obligation, free evaluation. Eliminate clover mites in your Western Massachusetts home for good!