Are you ready for clover mite season? No, we are not talking about getting into your camouflage gear, strapping on your rifle, and sitting for hours in the woods waiting for a clover mite to step out so you can tag it. We are talking about the season when clover mites suddenly appear, seemingly out of nowhere, to plague you in your home. We are talking about spring.
What Are Clover Mites?
Adult clover mites are one of the larger mites that infest plants. They are .75 mm long and reddish. They have an elongated first pair of legs and sparsely arranged scales on the abdomen, and they are frequently found on window sills on the sunny side of homes. If disturbed, they will move relatively rapidly.
When temperatures warm up, clover mite adults will become active. But clover mite eggs will hatch around April 1st and will be found in vast numbers in cracks and crevices outside. After only one generation, they will go into a type of warm-weather hibernation for the summer. In the fall, another generation is completed. It is in the spring, however, when the mites are the biggest problem to homeowners. Mites in the vicinity of buildings may climb exterior walls and gain entrance around doors and windows. If they are overwintering underneath siding or inside wall voids, they may become active and enter living spaces, sometimes by the thousands.
Problems Caused By Clover Mites
Although these mites don't bite humans or pose a health risk, they are harmful to property.
- Clover mites leave red stains when crushed. This is pigment from their bodies, not blood. They will stain furnishings and cloth items.
- These bugs are tiny and very hard to seal out.
- They get into wall voids that are hard to get at and difficult to treat.
- Do-it-yourself clover mite control often leads to continued frustration and more damaged belongings.
Prevention
- Use a wet sponge or vacuum to remove mites, being cautious to not crush the mites and leave stains.
- Remove grass and weeds from around your foundation. Leave a vegetation-free strip about 2 feet wide.
- Seal holes, gaps, and cracks in foundations, windows, and doors.
- Check screens for a good fit.
Year-Round Solution
If you need assistance with clover mites or other household pests, reach out to Aiken Pest Control and ask about our year-round protection plans. Helping folks be pest-free since 1967, we can take care of pests that plague you in springtime, and all year long. Give us a call today for a FREE inspection.