Mites are extremely widespread bugs. In fact, apart from the forty-eight thousand species that have been identified, there remain roughly a million more types that scientists haven’t been able to identify yet!
But, now that you already have a mite infestation of some sort, you should know how to build a trap for mites using the things that are available at home! None of these methods is 100% effective, but you will find that unless you have an unmanageable bug infestation, these methods will work quite well for mites and other insects like fruit flies and bedbugs.
If, however, none of these methods work, you might have to consider pesticides and chemical treatment to remove these pesky pests.
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What causes a mite infestation in your house, to begin with?
Mites don’t typically attack human populations. In very few instances, mites actually transfer from a host in the vicinity of a human and make their way onto that human. Usually, mites don’t harm humans much, but there are some species that can cause damage to your health.
Some species can trigger allergic reactions, including hay fever, asthma, and eczema. If you have one of these types, you want to get rid of mites on human skin or in your home. Several types of skin rashes have been linked to mites, including rat mite dermatitis, grain itch, gamasoidosis, grocer’s itch, and scabies.
It does help to remember, though, that mites only infest areas where there is plenty of organic waste that they can feast upon. Therefore, your environment and its cleanliness can be a dictating factor when it comes to causing mite infestations inside your house!
Different species of mites that can infest your house
As I mentioned, there are over forty-eight thousand species of mites that have been identified and about a million more types that have not been identified as of yet.
Despite such large numbers, some types of mites have been observed repeatedly in homes in one way or another. Here are some of the mites that you should watch out for at home!
House dust mites
As the name suggests, these mites are most commonly found in dusty surroundings. House dust mites are now regarded as common allergens according to health organizations all over the world because they have been found to have the ability to be airborne, exactly like dust particles!
Clover mites
Clover mites are some of the most common types of mites that will nest in houses. Typically these mites build their homes and infestations in vegetation and natural surroundings.
However, when they run of organic matter to feed on, they enter households to infest the carpets and cracks where they can find sustenance and shelter.
Itch mites
You are unlikely to experience a case of itch mites since these mites typically prefer other insects to impose upon.
However, they, much like their dust mite counterparts, prefer to live in environments where there is a lot of dust. If you do spend time in dusty surroundings and find yourself itching all over, it might be because of an itch mite!
Bird mites
Humans are rarely bitten by bird mites. Although some bird mites, such as northern fowl mites and chicken mites, have been observed to attack humans, they are most commonly found bothering birds.
In fact, mites that affect fowls die if they can’t latch on to a host bird for a month! Typically, these pests create their nests in the nests of their host birds.
Can you get rid of mites by using homemade traps made with household items?
Yes, you can get rid of mites by using homemade DIY traps. In fact, in this article, I will be laying out the various mixtures and types of traps that you can use to capture or kill mites! Keep reading to get started on your own mite-capture mixture!
How to build a trap for mites?
Here are some of the most effective ways to build a trap for mites!
Bait and pitfall traps
The concept behind a pitfall trap is to lure the mites out of their hiding places and into the pitfall, so to speak, by using bait. Once they have entered the trap, all you need to worry about is disposing of them properly.
To build a pitfall trap, use a container and place it in a location where you have noticed mites. After placing the bait in the container, simply wait till it collects the mites. To dispose of them, put them in a garbage bag and seal them tightly to prevent these pests from escaping!
Carbon dioxide trap
Even though carbon dioxide traps are typically used for dealing with a bed bug infestation, you can use them to trap mites too. Most insects are drawn to the presence of carbon dioxide since that typically means that a mammal is close by that these mites can make their host.
To make the carbon dioxide trap, you will need to create a mixture using hot water, sugar granules, and yeast. The yeast and the sugar solution will react to create carbon dioxide. You can mix all these in a glass or a plastic jar and simply wait for the mites to come out of their small holes and into the carbon dioxide jar!
Glue traps or interceptor traps
Glue traps or interceptor traps are quite straightforward to implement. All you’ll need to do is to keep these traps close to your sofa or bed, on the floor, and wait for mites to crawl onto them in an effort to get to you. Since these traps have an extremely sticky upper layer, these mites will stay stuck to the boards themselves!
Tape trap
Tape traps are also quite similar to interceptor traps in the sense that you can stick double-sided tape in places where mites could be active and simply wait for them to get stuck on the tape! To speed up the process, you can smear bait on the exposed side of the tape!
A bowl of apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an acidic trap that is quite effective for spider mites, specifically. To create an apple cider vinegar mixture, you need to mix a small bowl of apple cider vinegar with baking soda and dishwashing soap.
After you’ve thoroughly mixed these three ingredients in a spray bottle, you simply need to spray it on spider mites whenever you spot them!
Can you use the same mite traps for another bug like a fruit fly and a bed bug?
Yes, you can use the same mite traps for other bugs like fruit flies or bed bugs. In fact, carbon dioxide traps, glue traps, and tape traps double up as excellent bed bug traps. You can place them next to your bed mattress and outside or at your entrances to keep these bugs out entirely!
When is it time to call the pest control professionals?
After detection of mites in your house or on your plants, you can try using these DIY methods to build a trap for mites and get rid of them. However, when these methods don’t work any further, it would be best to consult a professional pest control company on how to proceed with exterminating these mites!
Conclusion
With a few simple household items, you can create extremely potent traps for mites. So gather up these common ingredients and get started on the trap for the mites nesting in your house!
