Problem getting rid of mites in home

[Jeff]

Hi

I need help with a pest problem:

I'm battling to get rid of some typ of mite in my flat. This has troubled me now for a couple of months. I moved flats to remove the source of the infestation (which I think was birds) but I have infested my new place with all the furniture I brought in. It is a real nuisance - crawling/jumping sensations and small stings. Unfortunately I have been unable to catch a specimen as they would be very small and are mostly active in the dark. My flatmate feels them too so I am definately not going crazy.

I have now called in a pest control company twice to spray the place (last spray was 2 weeks ago) - this improved things a lot but it is not 100%. I had communicated the severity of the infestation to the pest control company and they, each time, sprayed my place (walls & ceeling too) with Dorine EC as well as a release of Nuvan Profi gas. This is the best available gas available to a pest control company to solve this problem but obviously it was not 100% effective. I live in a block of flats so I cannot consider the more extreme gases.

I am keeping my story short - it has been a real problem and I need a solution - it is really disturbing my life. Is there a different/more serious gas one could use in a flat? Is there a chemical I could apply myself (eg those from nurseries) - I understand that with this type of infestation a number of treatments maybe necessary? One of the nurseries nearby even sells a very dangerous gas to the public - Aluminium Phosphide. This is a very toxic gas so I can't imagine I could use it.

I would appreciate your comments - I really need someone in the pest control industry who has experience in such a problem to offer their opinion.

Thank you
Jeff

[Dave A]

One of the more interesting aspects here is that the problem seems to have moved with you! I'm wondering about the pest identification.

Are you getting bites? And if so, what are the characteristics of the bite mark. Colour, raised welt or flat? Or a rash? Or no visible discoloration, but a crawling feeling? Any particular body locations that get attacked? Attacks occur day and night, day only or night only?

If any of the details are a bit "personal", feel free to PM me.

[Jeff]

I mostly feel a crawling/jumping type feeling on my scalp, but it can occur anywhere really. This is more intense at night. To add to the reality of this, I sometimes feel and hear the jumping type sensation against my ear when I am resting my head on my pillow. Seldom I feel stings - they are usually not very painful. I don't have any obvious marks from these (and this makes most specialists think that there is no pest). At the start of the infestation of my previous place I used to experience serious stings (and I had some bites on my head but they quickly healed) and the crawling was very intense.

I have consulted with 2 dermatologists now and a GP (and a number of pest controlers) but I have not solved this problem yet - although it is not nearly as bad as it used to be. A parasitologist is interested in seeing me so that's what I'll do next.

I understand now that this is a very rare problem (as most specialists in whatever related field are a little surprised and suggest standard remedies). Unfortunatelly I have been unable to identify the mite as I feel that it is extremely mobile, likes dark and probably very small.

Thank you
Jeff

[Dave A]

It could be two pests by the sound of it. Part of what you describe is consistent with bedbugs. Nocturnal activity and visible bites. In severe cases there is also a rather pungent smell in the affected room, but unfortunately the victims don't really notice it as it builds up gradually over time.

Your current symptoms are more consistent with head lice. The sense of something crawling particularly in the scalp with little visible dermal problems. A clue is in the nits, minute eggs that attach to the hair. With head lice it's loosely attached to the hair of the head and they're nearly white. With pubic and body lice, the nits are more firmly attached, and tend to be much darker, ginger to brown.

Neither would ordinarily be solved with space foggers alone.

Perhaps lets hear what the parasitologist comes up with before we get into possible remedies.

[Chatmaster]

Many years ago I lived in Rustenburg in a wooden double story house. We had the exact same problem there. Afterwards I burned my beds and got rid of most of my furniture that day we moved. If you look at your bed mattress you will probably notice tiny red bugs in the seems. Those are the pests that eats you up at night. When I bought a house in Krugersdorp a few years ago we had to get the exterminators in to sort out the previous owners flees out. They were jumping all over the house. Couldn't miss them!

Seriously there is no other choice but to get really good exterminators in to sort the problem. Fumigating doesn't help, trust me!

[Dave A]

Afterwards I burned my beds and got rid of most of my furniture that day we moved.

Effective, but pretty extreme

[Chatmaster]

lol

It worked great for my anger management!

[DirkSwart]

I live in Durban and I am experiencing almost identical symptoms as discussed above. Been sitting with this for 7 weeks now. I also get the crawling/jumping sensation on my head, but mostly everywhere on my body. Also get tiny stings everywhere when they bite. Activity picks up around 4/5pm at night but is not totally uncommon in the day. Some nights are unbearable and one cannot sleep when it feels like something is crawling on your head, neck or body. When trying to go to bed i also hear tiny pin pricks on the pillow next to my ear and get the feeling they are dropping from the ceiling as I read somewhere that bird mite sense heat and CO2 and target the host that way. I also have been unable to get a sample as they are extremely small and cannot be seen but felt. I can however see extremely tiny specs on my cell or tablet screens. Not sure what is dry skin or the mites. I have also seen a dermatologist who gave me anti-hystemine for the allergic reactions to the bites. I have some small tiny red bumps in places. My forehead started to get mild dermatitis which i was given cream to assist. I have had multiple pest control people out. They have surfaced sprayed three times now and thermal fogged with bifenthrin. One guy also tried fogging with Nuvan Profi, but all seemed without success. We cannot find any Bird nest or source in the roof. Just waiting for a x150 lens that fits on my phone to maybe identify this pest. I have tried everything from eating raw garlic to drinking apple cider vinegar and numerous essential oils for bathing and many other products. Nothing seems to keep them away. Worst is that i slept at my parents house with my 1st fumigation and they now have similar symptoms. I reckon these things are probably in my car too and even the car has been fogged. Still have no real solution to the problem and hope i can identify it soon. Any thoughts? This seems very rare and most pest control seem very inexperienced wrt to this type of problem.

[Toy]

Hi

I need help with a pest problem:

I'm battling to get rid of some typ of mite in my flat. This has troubled me now for a couple of months. I moved flats to remove the source of the infestation (which I think was birds) but I have infested my new place with all the furniture I brought in. It is a real nuisance - crawling/jumping sensations and small stings. Unfortunately I have been unable to catch a specimen as they would be very small and are mostly active in the dark. My flatmate feels them too so I am definately not going crazy.

I have now called in a pest control company twice to spray the place (last spray was 2 weeks ago) - this improved things a lot but it is not 100%. I had communicated the severity of the infestation to the pest control company and they, each time, sprayed my place (walls & ceeling too) with Dorine EC as well as a release of Nuvan Profi gas. This is the best available gas available to a pest control company to solve this problem but obviously it was not 100% effective. I live in a block of flats so I cannot consider the more extreme gases.

I am keeping my story short - it has been a real problem and I need a solution - it is really disturbing my life. Is there a different/more serious gas one could use in a flat? Is there a chemical I could apply myself (eg those from nurseries) - I understand that with this type of infestation a number of treatments maybe necessary? One of the nurseries nearby even sells a very dangerous gas to the public - Aluminium Phosphide. This is a very toxic gas so I can't imagine I could use it.

I would appreciate your comments - I really need someone in the pest control industry who has experience in such a problem to offer their opinion.

Thank you
Jeff

I'm having a similar problem - I'm on the North Coast. I've narrowed my infestation down to avian mites - my veterinarian identified them today. I've had bite marks on my legs Y today I discovered very small mites (the size of fine pepper grains) on the ear margins of my cat. I've purchased Frontline Spray - a veterinary product - which has a residual effect but is not absorbed through the skin. I have already applied it to the cat, and will now treat myself, my bedding, mattress, furniture & floors. I'm happy to use Frontline on myself (hair & body) as it kills & deters mites, ticks & fleas, without causing harm (not absorbed by the skin) to oneself. It washes off with soap & is easily re-applied, either by spraying on, or applying with cotton swabs.

[alexandriapestservice]

What is the most useful treatment for the execution of termites?

[Dave A]

What is the most useful treatment for the execution of termites?

What type of termites?
Where are they attacking? (Or what are you wanting to protect?)

[Harmayani258]

you should get in contact with a good exterminator of your area so you can get rid of these bugs.