Living in the southeastern states, you’ve probably dealt with or seen clover mites. Our temperatures remain moderate throughout the year, allowing certain pests to stay in their preferred climate range all year long. One of those pests happens to be clover mites. A nuisance pest more than anything else, these “tiny red bugs” can often be seen on the south- or west-facing sides of buildings in the late spring and early fall. During the summer months, they become less active, and after fall they retreat again as winter arrives. They feed on various grasses but prefer clover, hence their name. Clover mites, despite often being called “bugs,” are not bugs at all. Instead, they belong to the same class as spiders, Arachnida.
If clover mites don’t do damage to your plants, and they remain on the exterior walls of your home, why are they classified as a pest? Well, the problem is that clover mites are insanely small, meaning they can fit into just about any crack or crevice they find. When they crawl along the exterior of your home, they will crawl into the first available crack, whether that be the gap under your door or a slit in the side of your window frame. If your window screens aren’t perfectly fitted, then you can be sure that at least one of these irritating pests will invade your home. Once these mites get inside, often by the dozen, this is when they start being a nuisance.
The most annoying problem with clover mites is how hard it is to get rid of them or even prevent them from getting in. Because of their small size, most of the preventative measures you may take won’t be effective against them. Alright, so you can’t prevent them from getting in, but you can kill them once you see them inside your home. Nothing beats the old rolled-up newspaper, right? Wrong. Due to the red pigment found in their bodies, if clover mites are crushed, stepped on, or squeezed, they will leave ugly red stains on furniture, walls, floors, and clothing. This is perhaps the most irritating thing about them. Using a vacuum cleaner to suck them up is the best practice you can use when trying to get rid of clover mites on your own.
However, for these bothersome pests, simply vacuuming them up now and then isn’t going to cut it. Why should you have to deal with these nuisance pests when professional help is just one call away? Aiken Pest Control has ongoing home pest control services, dealing with clover mites and any other pest problem you might face. Our best pest control experts are always on hand, ready to treat your home each quarter—and if you have an infestation between those quarterly visits, Aiken Pest Control will treat your house, free of charge.