Whoever coined the phrase ‘breeding like rabbits,’ never had a clover mite infestation! All clover mites are female and can each lay up to 70 eggs. A generation lasts approximately 30 days. Let’s do the math: 70 eggs x thousands of mites…carry the 30 days = They come in droves!
While they won’t hurt humans or pets, furniture or clothing, they are a nuisance because of their ridiculous numbers, and the red stain they leave behind when they’re crushed. They’re fragile little things. Just smaller than the size of a pin, we’ve heard customers say they thought it was dirt until they saw them moving. Just the tiniest brush will leave that red stain – which is pigment not blood. A good way to remove them without getting red streaks is to vacuum them up with the crevice tool. Be sure to put the vacuum bag or the contents of the canister into a sealed container and keep it away from the home. And don’t forget to wash out the canister.
Eliminating them may take team work. Our part is the insecticide. But you might wonder what you can do? When getting rid of them it’s helpful to know that they’re attracted to vegetation, especially well fertilized grasses, dandelion, clover, lush greenery and moisture. With that in mind, here are a few things that will help.
- Wipe drains and sinks inside after running the water and check for other areas with moisture such as under sinks and windows.
- Repair any areas with mold or mildew.
- Keep grasses, shrubs and other greenery cut back at least 1-2 feet from the home.
- Keep lawn cut regularly.
- Seal windows, doors foundation cracks, and install or repair screens on windows to fit tightly.
- Fix areas that have standing water in the yard.
- You may want to change out the plants up close to the home to those that are not attractive to clover mites, such as juniper, geraniums, marigolds, petunias and zinnias.
If you are struggling with these little nuisances, call Barrier Pest Control at (208) 463-4533. We’d love to help you become clover mite free!
