At Accurate Pest Control, are very busy in the Capital District during the spring and summer months as nature comes into full bloom. Our customer calls vary from helping people remove bats from their attic to the removal of large bird’s nests tucked into the roof or soffit.
What are bird mites?
Bird mites are part of the arthropod family; tiny spider-like bugs. Bird mites are extremely small and very mobile. Bird mites are parasites that feed on the blood of the birds nesting around your home such as pigeons, sparrows, and some wild birds. They are almost transparent with hair on their bodies and eight legs. Once they feed, they turn slightly darker.
Will bird mites come into my home and infect my family?
Interestingly enough, these tough little feeders are not long for this world once the birds leave the nest. They need the birds to feed on to survive and an empty nest is very dry and barren. Should a nest exist near or around your home, especially near a door, window, or soffit, the mites will turn to look inside for food, either on humans or pets. The good news is they cannot survive for long this way, especially in summer months when the air conditioning makes it too cool for survival. They like the heat!
How do I treat and remove bird mites from my home?
We had a customer who had a bird’s nest built in the umbrella above their patio table on the deck. The family watched the birds in wonder as they built the nest and the babies were born never touching or removing the nest. Never thinking about bugs or mites. The mites were present and although the family did not eat under the nest, that nest was perilously close to the family, their dog, and access to the home.
Our technician was there performing monthly treatments for carpenter ants and bees and noticed the nest. Needless to say, the nest was removed, and the area was treated properly.
Removal of the nest is paramount. Once removed, cleaning and disinfecting the area is mandatory. Applying a residual product that will control the presence of residual mites and keeps birds from nesting there again.
If nests are removed and damage to the home is a result, our technicians will inspect and repair any damage caused by the nests and offer exclusion services to make the area less desirable for a new nest. Common places where nests are built and could cause damage are chimneys, roof spaces and eves, window ledges, and gutters.
Please do not attempt to remove the nest yourself, especially with bare hands. Call us for assistance and treatment at 518-374-0357 24-hours a day, 7-days a week!
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Resources: http://medent.usyd.edu.au/fact/birdmite.html
http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/insectlab/2017/07/31/bird-mites/
