Bird Mites

I wrote to the CDC about my infestation. They need to be tracking these mites if they aren't already. I live in South Carolina and got these things from a Robin's nest on the rain spouting outside my bedroom wall. I woke up with two adult mites in my hairline. We have vacated the home and had it sprayed by Orkin. They will spray again in seven days, then every other month following. I plan to keep items that are hard (like TV, kitchen stuff) but get rid of all fabric items. I am putting vaseline around all body orifices to prevent their entry. I've salted my scalp and put A&H Baking Soda in all my wash. I use Jason's Dandruff Shampoo which has Neem and Tea Tree Oil in it. Sticky rollers go with me everywhere and I roll everything! I hope what I am doing/plan to do will keep them from traveling to my new home. Thank you all for your helpful suggestions and good luck getting rid of them for good. Prayers for all! Mr Exterminator, do you think Orkin has what it takes to rid my home of these pests for good?

I don't think Orkin or any other pest control company has anything special. All pest control professionals have access to exactly the same chemicals. So, success will depend upon the knowledge of the person applying the pesticide.

Hi there,

I am having excellent luck with Dermasil's package of sulphur creams. I borrowed a fogger from a man whose bird had bird mites and immediately started an aggressive Tea tree regime, switching to the Dermasil routine once it came in. Three days on it and twice a day today and I am sleeping through the night a-okay. Lots of cleaning to do and laundrey, so just toss clothes in sealed plastic bags and date them. Plan to let them sit a few weeks or wash them in super hot water and long hot drying cycles as I get to it. Quick question:

With all this talk re: problems. How do people work, or does this affect your jobs. I hostess at a pretty top notch restaurant. They're not happy with me not coming in, but don't want to spread this and want to almost entirely get rid of it before going back.

Any suggestions would be great.

Merci!

Wow, reading all this is making me feellike there is no hope. I love in am apartment and I just noticed them last year. I also noticed allot of what looked like sprinkled black pepper in my bedroom windowseal. Not sure if that is eggs or what. I had them start up this same time last year. I have contacted my apartment complex manager who called the exterminator. He said you have to remove the source (ex:bird nest). He said if you do not remove the source you will never get rid of them. They found one nest last year in my outside vent. I noticed they are always on the toilet seat. There is a vent right above it. I think they are coming from that. I do feel crawling sensations allot but I think it also may just be my mind as well. I didnt feel it till I physically saw them. We are moving in hopes to get rid of them. I was told to spray everythng with lysol before putting it in boxes. My fear is I will take them with me. Ugh what a nightmare. I also developed an issue with my blood around this time a few years ago. I also developed an enlarged spleen. I have been through tons of medical testing, went to John Hopkins Hospital, bone marrow biopsys and they could not figure out what the problem was. Hmmmmm......could the mites have gotten in side me? Its weid how the last couple of years I have issues with my blood and spleen swelling around this same time. I could just scream. I have sprinkled Borax all over my carpets and vacummed. I vaccume EVERYDAY! Im lost as to how they keep coming back?? Im going nuts.

I read and feel all of your frustrations. I have been dealing with this for 17 years and tried everything I read above and more...Here's the problem...The CDC and Fed already knows about this but are powerless. That's why Doctors diagnose you with DOP, delusions of parasitosis...There is NO CDC protocol to deal with this problem...It is becoming an epidemic for sure, but the powers in charge could care less...Morgellons is real and this is a sub-form of it...There are many independently working on solutions, myself included and there is hope, but nothing I can concretely assert at the present. I have heard from so called experts that one must identify the source then destroy...They don't know what they're talking about...Infestations of the human body are pheromonal, meaning that mites invade your body because of two reasons...One is that you have an immune deficiency they are attracted to and two, once mites are in tune with your body chemistry they attack in colonies,,,not alone...they have a precise communicative network and are highly intelligent...Mites generally begin they're stalking around the nostrils, since this is where they can identify with your oxygen/chemistry...Sometimes people have been stalked by them for years before they actually infest the body....The only way to completely stop infestation is to break the chain of pheromonal attraction, meaning you have to make them not like you anymore...I hope this helps some...just know that there are many help groups online and you are one in millions of people all over the world going through this...I feel for all of you...

I am glad I found this website, as these bites around my neck, torso, thighs, are driving me crazy. They are so itchy! Mike's post was especially interesting, as I am also in Hawaii (Big Island) and we found a dead bird in the yard a couple of days ago. Apparently, some mynah birds have made a nest under our eaves. Our two house dogs have been scratching, especially at night... but they do not have fleas. So now my husband and I are being eaten up too. I have called an exterminator, and will go and buy some Borax or Arm and Hammer scent free; anything available here on the island. A nasty feeling!

Just sprinkled Cayenne pepper in my hair --no movement! They will shake it off but if you made a paste or spray? I love the smell of cayenne pepper. Also use 3/4 Tee Tree oil (small bottle) and dilute with H20. It keeps them somewhat at bay on your body and smells like tea! Cools you off- Shake bottle every time before use, as the small amount of oil will separate from H20 in spray bottle. Used a bug bomb and slowed them and almost killed me and I'm healthy. Also did the pesticide body cream, only slowed them down. DON"T kill yourself with pesticides and DON"T think only cleaning will help. DON'T think only herbal (my biggest hope) will kill them. I think Some limited pesticide use, regular cleaning, and herbals (Nee & tea tree and cayenne will work. Coming into end of first week of realization,,,, felt like a crazy leper at 1rst, now there is hope with US teaming against them with our knowledge. Fear/depression was my big -biggest anchor,,, exercize and eat healthy, drink H20 and pray,,,it seems tough 24/7,,,,, but remember you are loved.

I just discovered today, that the infestation of "little bugs" are actually Bird mites YUCK! Since last year I severed with sever bites all over my body... I thought at first was an allergic reaction to food or something, but never connected the nesting of birds on my window, near the AC was the culprit of the mess!Last night in particular I just couldn't sleep as I felt these nearly invisible things crawling all over!I woke up at dawn cuz I just couldn't sleep feeling this way. I decided to look to the source and Lo and Behold right underneath and on the sides on my AC, an army of these little critters.
My bed is adjacent to the AC so they had an easy commute to infest my bed and the rest of my Room.
I'm freaking out now because reading these comments leaves me feeling hopeless.
I'd hate to sleep in my bed tonight!
I'll give soome the suggestions a try and will report on any eradiction success. Please Pray for me and the other folks suffering with this!

Ms Fufu
Oh no, apparently, air conditioners are a source of concern! Do you know how to clean the filter? I would not put cayenne in my hair (sorry, but I do not "relish" the thought of a flake of pepper in my eye.) However, I did follow the advice to use Borax. It's inexpensive, and I placed it in a squeeze bottle (like you would use for mustard) and drew a "line" of Borax at my doors. No more mites!! You could use it around your window and air conditioner. Apparently, the other mites died out. I also found a dead bird in my yard prior to this whole episode, and my dogs had kiled it! So, my suspicion is that we got the mites directly as we cleaned up the yard and indirectly as the dogs slept with us on our bed! I washed all of the linens with Borax added, vacuumed... dusted the area where the dead bird was with Borax, now, a couple of weeks later, it is a non=issue. Worth a try. Good luck, Ms. Fufu

I am in exactly the same situation as Ms.Fufu and I am suffering very badly at the moment. I am planning to rent an apartment and go there taking nothing from my current apartment, perhaps removing my clothes at the door and leaving them tied up in a bag, then buying new things for the new apartment.

I already have the bugs living under my skin so my question is how can I kill them and stop them from infesting my new place, is this something that can be done?

Please somebody helkp me if you can, I am getting about 2 hours sleep a night and im going mad already. Im on my own so I dont know what to do.

uhhh I don't think bird mites live under your skin. You might have scabies... those are more like spiders that live under your skin. Unfortunately highly contagious. You have to see a dermatologist, who will give you a cream which you have to put all over your body, every inch of skin, and a special shampoo. You can tell scabies because they live a red track line leading to the next feasting area. (sorry, it's true) The bird mites will bite, but they just crawl the surface of the skin, as far as I know... wow sam and fufu, good luck to you both. And don't feel it's something you did to neglect your house or hygiene.... scabies, mites, lice, all the same... they don't care who their hosts are, and regular soaps don't kill them like the specialized soaps used to treat them.

First of all could Boogsy
17 May 2010, 14:22 who said “I have done some researcha dns tumbled upon an australian website that has a number to report birdmite cases and a local office that handles these reports, please let me know the website as I am in Australia and have had no such luck or assistance.
Also donnaspeaks
22 Jul 2010, 03:13, who has no idea and I am sure does not mean to, undermines, disrespects and adds to the painful frustration of those who suffer from what we know, initiated from bird mites, as with the Doctors, each person who conjures up disbelief of what we are suffering and how it eventuated, only exacerbates our illness and suffering, at the very least, after reading all of these very similar, if not, in many cases, identical symptoms, initiating from a bird mite infestation, common sense should prevail, unlike with the Doctors, real human beings should not take us back to the many misdiagnoses of scabies, that we have already endured which has exacerbated our illness and suffering tenfold, though I would not be surprised if the two have not morphed.
Many thanks to Rick and to those who are trying to help by sharing their stories, pain and suffering. If you are interested I will send through my story, this involves a large Government Body, which is where my husband got his bird mite infestation, but because it is not a recognisable disease in our Doctors Books of Diagnosable Diseases, they have avoided all responsibility so far, which means we cannot afford to treat this properly and this prolongs it all for us, even though it is a work place injury. When we overcome this we want to invest in helping all those who suffer this indescribable and denied disease.

Here is what I found on a website comparing the two parasites. I do not, in any way, mean to disrespect or undermine anyone's quest for relief. I assumed that this website was non-judgmental. I found that Borax, as suggested on this website, worked for me, and there is substantiating evidence on-line. I wish you all well, and although I know that you have all been perusing on-line information, I will 'paste" some research 'copied" from on-line articles regarding bird mites:

"In some cases, the person is told by the doctor they have scabies. They inevitably are unable to get rid of this problem with scabies treatment, which leads to further frustration and unanswered questions. Some people have done numerous scabies treatments that produced lingering skin damage.

Elimite and Kwell, frequently prescribed for scabies, are not effective against bird mites. Bird mites are larger and more mobile that the fragile scabies mite (which resides under the skin), and people with a bird mite infestation have not had much success with these products."

I had a bad infestation a few years ago. I used Roach Proof to kill the mites (I left it all over furniture and floors for about a week...even slept in it). Roach Pruf is mostly electrostatically-treated diatomacious earth with a little bit of sulfite and boric acid--eats through anything with an exoskeleton but virtually nontoxic to mammals. I also fumigated my apartment with copal resin smoke.

Treating myself was more complicated. I believe these mites can only feed off humans if they can sensitize the skin. That's why only certain people in a given household are affected. I swallowed large amounts of chopped serrano pepper (any source of capsiacin would have done) daily to promote sweating and create a burning sensation to desensitize my skin. I then painted each of the existing welts on my body with benzalconium chloride antiseptic to keep the mites from returning to those sites to feed. I spent about five miserable days following this regimen, wearing only my boxers, but it worked.

Afterwards, when I cleaned up, I left Roach Pruf under all my furniture and wiped every hard surface down with boiled cinnamon solution mixed with eucalyptus oil. I also sprayed a mist of cinnamon-eucalyptus on my matress and all upholstry. The evil little creatures never came back. :)

I have been infested for three years now, my Dr put me on mood elevation pills, i have changed Drs several times, it is apparent the medical field is un educated with this problem, most PCO i have talked too say that i need to remove the host, well that is me at this point.
I have tried everything, and have now purchased some pure sulfur and lime, i will mix some Lime sulfur and spray my entire house,, i am hopeing this is the cure, it is terrible these mites craw in every orfice and bite the inside of my penis which really is painful, I am reaying to God for the end of this nightmear

My puppy had a feather in his mouth, don't know where it came from, and also there was a prarie dog in our back yard the puppy was trying to play with. He began itching. Later I started feeling crawling sensations all over, in my hair, in my nose and ears and legs. I I got bites on my arms and legs. The vet put the puppy on revolution every 2 weeks for three treatments. The puppy is fine now and found a new home. I am getting better by washing bedding every day, got new laminated floors and leather furniture. I spray Kleen Green all over everything, even walls and soak in it and wash my hair with it and use sulphur based bath soap from Kleen Green. I use organic olive oil in my ears and nose and rub it all over my body. I still get a bite now and then. I use Kiss my face lotion on my face with olive and aloe non fragrance. My husband doesn't seem to be bothered, although I see bites on him, he doesn't itch. I spray him with Kleen Green after his showers every night. I spray my bed with it. I do laundry with it plus Borax. Also use tea tree oil on bites but first clean them with peroxide.
It seems to be working, plus lots of prayer. I am much better. Been fighting this since May. Prayer and Kleen Green works.

I want to start of by saying that "All I want to do is sleep". When this thing started happening; I swore I was uhmm losing my mind literally and thought about commiting myself. Yes, me a drug therapist...my physiciain spoke to me as if I was hard of hearing, my clothes have been washed 2x including box mule, i bought a steamer, I exterminated, I have been cleaning like a mad woman for a long long time, the bed is incased, sprinkled with borax, the sheets are washed, I smell like garlic (neem and tea trea oil) cotton in my ear and plastic cap on my head...baby wipes on my face. Yet am still traumatized by putting my head on the also encased pillow, and laying my body on a brad new bed. I live out of 2 garbage bags, everything else is bagged and put away. I am so TIRED of this mess. So, this is the thing I noticed; YOU HAVE TO DECLARE WAR and take over your home. I have done everything I read on these sites, there has been improvements but you have to be consistent. Am going on full mode tomorow. I feel yor pain.

I have just read all comments...and appreciate all that was said...there are four things I found out through experimental methods and observation.
1. These things are encased in our extremities.
2. These things die with ether (in wart remover...put on the bumps, rub hard for a minute...to get the white off, use rubbing alcohol...it stings, but it gets it off...3 days, 1x day).
3. These things are discriminatory within our households.
4. These things are in our cars and households, whole environment.
Now, I take Epsom Salts internally via warm water with 1 tablespoon, every night. This is in addition to rubbing all over my body in the shower, in nose, down throat, etc.
Also use Netty Pot for sinus...helps remove those things from the sinus cavity...nose,ears,eyes.
Evidence is there on the toilet paper from external and internal means.
Use Borax in sprayer that is typically used for yard spraying. It's used to spray the ceiling, walls, furniture, floors, carpets and everything.
Yes you do give these to others. Since others don't always get bugged by these bugs, I wonder if our blood type might have something to do with the allure or luring aspect of these insects to us, poor unfortunate souls?
I use 91% rubbing alcohol in spray bottle to spray inside of shoes, all around shoes. Clothes are in bags with moth balls initially then down the road I spray Rubbing Alcohol on the items inside the bags. I cannot go without that Watkins' product...it's filled with red pepper and it does get hot, like hot flashes...I cannot go without spraying Deep Woods Insect spray. Teenagers have it but are in denial. Boyfriend had it and prolonged lack of sleep/itchiness as he was in denial...but now we are on the same page!
Use white towels...you can see these things embedded and can pick them out with a tweezer...also do this for socks)
Still use the microwave...only now use level 5 for 10 second spurts (light fabrics=10 seconds on 3...towels on 8 for 45 seconds...have burned one too many...this gets them out of the clothes...but I do put them into bags with zip lock seals.
Sent specimens to Terminex, but only considered them to be dust and recommended that I go to a dermatologist. Heard from a former worker that they water down their own chemicals due to $ crisis. Am very careful at work...I see it spreading as I travel to different places at times...don't count on these things to die in 9 months when no one is around...they are very resilient! Need to email congress, state legislatures in masse...they do this for other things, is there anyone out there who can start an emailer with names of congress/legislatures of every state where we could submit a pertinent letter to send via email? I have kept more specimens and am waiting for the right time to take to specialist on university campus. Have one specimen of a morgellan...it's in my freezer in a ziplock bag, along with others from the counter, floor, body, inside mouth, and other cavities...now also have what has evolved to mimic blades of grass (green ones) and small elongated 'blades' of 'bark'...when sprayed with rubbing alcohol they actually 'molt' down and become those blades of grass/bark! Interesting! Don't give up...this seems to be coming from fowl in other countries...look at the manufacturer's label...in one country they are using chicken feathers to stuff down into pillows, comforters, etc...look at your kleenix, toilet papers, paper towel products closely...sometimes you can see with your eyes these specs of black...sometimes they show up when you wet the product!
ps...the reason you see specks of black on the toilet seat is because they are on your tushee! They are also in your tushee! Watkins has bath salts with menthol...use this once a week...put head underwater hold breath as long as I can...lay on back with head back in water up to nose...this helps with eyes, too (and other things). And when you come into the house, spray yourself down with rubbing alcohol...you'll be glad you did! Even in your hair> May you find comfort and peace from God!

I have sent samples to OSU and K state, they have been hearing about this problem but they want to say that you have a nest or bird somewhere as they will not host on humans.
99% of the medical Drs say there is a epidemic of bed bugs in the USA, I belieave that they are not investigating this properly and bed bugs is all they know.
I am not sure where i contracted these bugs but it has been three yers now and yes it is a liveing hell, I have had two nights with minimal bug biteing as of the last two nights, I changed my diet and it seems to help

Hi my name is Mark, Ive been suffering with bird mites for almost 3 years, I've also tried all the remedies published here, lack of sleep has almost killed me, I have noticed that the brown swallow that used to nest under our carport still hangs around and I can hear them landing on the iron roof above me during the night before feeling the mites all over. They persistently land even when turning on the electric grid, lights, water spray and having netting spread above they keep coming back and find a safe perch and I see them checking where Iam through the window during the day before landing above me on the roof, these mites seem consistent with such a small but smart bird, many people would not hear them land above them on different roof materials

Take a break from the misery. Go on a 4 week vacation (without the infested car). Take along your remedies (hopefully you'll only need them for the first week), buying new clothes on-route and throwing out the old. You'll still have to come home to the problem, but the reprive is well worth it and you might gain a new perspective.

Suffer since July 2008.

I've just tried plastic sheeting on the roof, over areas I sleep and sit, the swallows are having trouble now unloading their mites, the plastic sheet was a bit short the night before and so I felt the mites on my feet only, these are microscopic but easily felt as if they fly around hitting different spots before travelling up to face eyes nose and ears to nest.The swallows circle the house block swooping on me on sight constantly shaking wings and tail when roosting

This is the regimen I am following and it is working thank the good Lord!
make sure to go to "treatments" and read the pages "what works" and "what doesn't work".
I don't have Collembola' as referred to on the site, but I do have scabies with only one bite today.
God Bless Us All. This Too Shall Pass.

Sorry, here's the site url: http://www.stopskinmites.com/

Have any of you mite sufferers tried the DermaSilk protective clothing? Take a look at http://www.asktheexterminator.com/Bed_bugs/DermaSilk.shtml. It might help!

Hello:
I am having a hard time identifying what I have. But I am pretty certain they are not fleas, rat mites, bedbugs, mosquitoes, or scabies.
The only thing I have read about that fits is bird mites. I have not found a nest, but there are a lot of birds on my property. I saw a robin sized bird acting very agressive on my front porch which made me think there might be a nest nearby.
Anyhow, me and my kids have moved out of our home because the bites were getting so bad. They do not bite when I am moving around, only when we sit or lie still. They are too small to see.

We had vector control come out. They found rats in the basement but they were clean of fleas and mites. we've had fleas before and this is different. They bite during the day and night, although more active at night. They are biting me only on my forearms and back. My son was getting bitten just about everywhere including his privates and head.
He tends to lie on the floor and get into everything.
Dr. says it doesn't look like scabies and when we left the house we don't get bitten. I bombed the house with 11 foggers and two days later returned and sat down for five minutes and got bitten on my arm. They look like the pictures of bird mite bites, like a reddish pimple.

I own the house, so I can't dessert it. But we are living with a friend.

My questions are:
1. I have hard wood floors and no rugs. Can I wash with the borax on hard wood floors without destroying them?
2. HOw contagious is this? I'm very worried about carrying bird mites on my clothing to other people's homes and places of business.
3. I heard that air conditioning can help. Does anyone have any experience renting air conditioners to address this issue?
4. Is steam cleaning going to damage the wood floors?

Contact the Green Herb in Denver. They have a product called Nu Trac that kills mites inside and out.
Also the Vas-Q-lar clear makes the blood taste bad, and garlic. Talk to Linda for advice or Sarah. I am taking all three and seems to help.

I am in my second year of being bitten alive and am tired of being someones buffet and not even get to meet them face to face. I have covered the possibility of bedbugs, ( have a waterbed) no fleas on my dog, spiders, etc.... I get bitten but my husband does not so he of course thinks I am crazy. Then one night he went to bed and I stayed up to watch tv. On a commercial I picked up the magnifying glass and flashlight and began to inspect the leather sofa. I checked corners, threading, cushions and back as well as underneath when all of a sudden my husband walked in the room and caught me. Now he thinks I am out of my mind. I can imagine how crazy that looked but if he itched like me and had to apply creams and pick scabs and lose sleep and think about whats crawling on him 24/7 he'd do the same thing. So I told him that his aches and pains from his neuropathy and diabetes are made up because I can't feel them. He wants me to produce proof so we can move on and get rid of this. Three doctors and 2 dermatologists say these are not bites from bugs and gave me sleep meds and anti depressants. I refuse to take antidressants because that only treats one symptom caused by the bites. I am ready to pack my bags and move out of my own house. OH forgot to mention, my dog, she has not been bothered by anything. But she did bring in a dead baby bird about 3 or 4 times in the past and a regular yard bird flew in our house once the door was open for fresh air one evening and it took forever to get it out of the house. I am reading about bird mites because all my research has rested upon this infestation. Could terminex have missed that? They are spraying and treating for spiders but is that the real problem? I cannot function day to day any more and need help. Please someone reach out to me and help. Please. Pretty please. sittin here crying as I type this.

i have had this so many years i dont know what to think anymore,, im sure im shedding it to people,, people itch around me,and i have been told this.what i find, it a reddish colored specs, i caught them with glue traps.it all started with sleeping in a bed given to me.it was in a attic.i have even been to mayo clinic.i can not rid myself of them.its hopeless. i dont know what to do.people itch around me,i showed the glue traps to a exterminator, he did not know what they were, but there was alot of them.ive done the throw everything out thing.ive used the ivermectin, the other creams..i have driven myself to panic,i quit jobs affter people start the,, something is bitting me starts,and it always does.i dont know what to do any more.i wish i was just imaginating all this.i am nursing staff.and i cant even help myself.becareful with what you put on your body.at mayo clinic, affter i was there and gone, they phoned me to say, my bloodwork was showing over producing of special protiens, but no cause has been found.i have tried everything,i believe not untill it hits close to home in that i mean a goverment agencies family member, noone will care, me im at my last straws with it.i feel like i am a prisoner in my own body..

I had them last summer. I believe my cat brought them inside from my patio as there were birds building nests in vacant apartment's air conditionings from the outside in some of the vacant apartments around me. The management came and removed the nests and blocked the aluminum slats with a metal grate and power-washed my A/C closet. I had this for about 2-3 months and it like to drove me crazy. I had apartment exterminators come twice to spray which did not help, they were back in a few days. Finally I bought "Viper" at the feed and seed store which is a pyrethroid (synthetic pyrethrum). I sprayed every room very thoroughly and my cat and I were stuck outside on balcony in the 4th of July heat waiting 6 hours to go back inside. Happy to say, that did it. They have not been back to "bug" me..but I remember very well the living hell I was subjected to...these things would crawl into my ears, private parts...and I became a nervous wreck. I'm aware now of them and I also burn outdoor incense when I'm sitting on my balcony and only let my cat outside in the cool weather.
I feel for everyone suffering with this, and I'm wondering about the "bed-bug infestation" in N.Y. if it could possibly be bird mites.
Leslie Morantine

Black Pepper Mites!
Help I am at wits end. Does Windex help like I have heard. What can you put on your skin to keep them from biting? Does cold effect them like turning on the A/C?

Sugarjkane

I used a body cream with tea tree oil in it "Tea Tree and Vitamin E Antiseptic Cream" by ederma, bought it on the web. It soothed my skin and they left me alone so I could sleep. I would imagine any body cream with tea-tree oil in it would be good to try. I keep my A/C low..the cold does help, I think it slows them down. If I let it get too warm in here, then the dust mites attack..now matter how much I vacuum it seems.
Hope this helps
Leslie

Hi all, Ive been fighting bird mites(GMO's)for over 3 years and believe I was infested after cleaning out some very filthy houses for renovation. They infested my truck and I became the vector for them to infest my home. For remedies, I have moved to a new home but they followed me. I wash all clothes in borax or lysol. I take a bath in epsom salts 1-2 times a week. I found colloidal silver to be useless against these bugs. Coconut oil has been much more effective. 1-2 times a week I wash my entire body with Neem oil or Pyrethran. This gives me total relief for 2-4 days. I maintain a garlic and hot pepper based food diet regularly. Recently I am trying a borax mixture to spray everywhere especially around my computer. Late at night before bed they get so bad sometimes and I can feel them crawing into my nose, ears, eyes, and anus! I can never see them but if I rub a bite area I occasionally feel them. I am trying a Carson 300X pc scope to get a picture of one as my Dr thinks I have delusional parasitosis and prescribed psychoactive drugs i refuse to take. Some things I learned; stay away from sweets, never re-wear dirty clothes, keep your home immaculate and that includes under and behind all appliances. Replace your bedding and seal it in plastic. Always shower thoroughly before bed not just in the morning! Before going to bed I use a q-tip swabbed in peroxide to clean my ears, sinuses, and eyelids. Keep a fan blowing on you at night. These little bastards hate wind, white clothes, sunlight, bright lights. They are attracted to electronics and wiring, bodily odor, and dirty clothing, dander, dust, and yes pets are vectors. I had to get rid of my cats but dogs are even worse and I have been re-infested through friends dogs a couple times so avoid animals!! Try to eliminate carpet and fabric window treatments. I wouldn't throw out the sofa but if you are going to replace it go with a non cloth material. I get attacked the most on my sofa and at the computer. They don't seem to hide anywhere else so this is where I concentrate being cleaner and dust those areas with borax and vaccuum regularly. Not everyone is susceptible to them so don't be suprised if loved ones aren't being bit. These bugs are pherimonally attractive or in my case i have a mild case of MRSA and believe that attracts them. So many of us are reporting mite infestation I really think this will help create incentives for some new products that will destroy these little bastards which I think are either genetically modified, or invasive species from China or South America. Never put on brand new clothes without 1st washing them and microwaving for 20 sec before wearing! Beware of new imported furniture and nick nacks as well. Never buy second hand sofas, bedding, chairs. Watch out for products and the containers or wrapping they are int that are imported.

I would like to know if anyone has tried to use UV light technology against mites? Is anyone having any luck with Roach Proof? Does anyone find coloidal silver to be useless against mites?
Gerry

Too much info for me to read it all.

KEYS: Bird mites cannot survive low humidity. Get a dehumidifyer or crank up your wood stove. Get it below 50% humidity and they should go away.

Also, citrus rind oil. 100% natural solvent. Dissolves them (probably all mites) upon contact. You can get it for about $50 a gallon at www.realmilkpaint.com (it is called Citrus Solve). Get a diffuser and have it permeate the air on a continual basis. I don't recommend a fogger unless you are VERY careful, as the stuff is flammable and does dissolve some plastics on contact (electronic equipment should be removed). Also breathing in too high of concentrations could be a health hazard.

Oh, most probably know this already, but freeze anything that has them in it for at least a few days (a week is better).

How does one diagnose the problem as bird mites? I fit the description of all you say regarding bites, no sleep, crawling sensation under the skin and am not able to see any bugs on me however I do see little black things here and there in my house. Sometimes a little white thing that I believe may be an egg but who knows. I have been to the doctor who wants to put me on pills for the itch, to sleep, depression, etc.. but I dont' want pills. I want a true diagnosis and to eradicate them. Please email me someone and help me with this. harrisjojo at verizon dot net. Please. I wash bed often, husband has no bites, dog doesn't itch. She was bringing dead baby birds in the house from somewhere two or three years in a row but no nests are seen and I dont know where to look for an infestation. Please help. Thank you

we had bird mite infestation in house, from nesting birds, cats probably brought them in. 20 Mule team Borax with laundry soap, wash sheets and clothing daily, dry hot for an hour or longer, clean out dryer lint trap. Package up shoes and clothing in plastic with diatomaceous earth, and leave for a few weeks. Make Borax and peroxide solution and soak body daily, 2 or 3 times. Make sure to scour tubs and showers, mop floors with borax solution, alternate with bleach solutions. It's taken six months. Keep animals out of bedrooms, vacuum alot.

My wife and I have beaten the bird mites (tropical fowl mite - TFM, warmer weather version of northern fowl mite - NFM, not as bad as chicken mites). Here's the background on our case and what worked for us.

We live in Hawaii and leave windows open year round. There was a dove nest above our window in which a bird mite population grew and eventually killed one young bird. With no food supply left and thousands of mite mouths to feed, they swarmed into our bedroom at night and crawled all over us. My wife couldn't sleep and woke me up. I felt the crawling but didn't see anything, so I wasn't too concerned yet, and went back to sleep. The next day I had over 60 bites on all of the warmest parts of my body, if you catch my drift. When I felt one crawling on my face, I used clear tape to remove it. We sent this and other samples to an entomologist - she used to work for state vector control but left and became the staff entomologist for Sandwich Isle Pest Control. After examining them under a microscope, she told us they were tropical fowl mites.

To beat them, we simply deprived them of food. According to the entomologist, without bird blood, the NFMs can't advance in life stage and reproduce and they won't live more than a few weeks. They can survive a little longer feeding on human blood, but they can't advance in stage and reproduce. Also, they have no way to cool themselves if it gets too hot, so if you heat them (hot water or hot clothes drying machine) they will die quickly.

We removed the nest and made sure there were no other nest on or in the house, thus no bird blood to eat. We washed some clothes in borax and hot water, dried them and some shoes in high heat and segregated them. We took showers at a neighbor's outside shower, and then moved into a neighbor's one bedroom shack in his backyard. We purchased new work clothes and lived in the shack for 4 weeks without ever going back into the house. I went into the ocean and made sure lots of salt water flushed out my sinuses. We had also double bagged and sealed our linens and some other stuff and left them in the sun to bake for a couple days, but we didn't open them for over a month, just left the bags in our carport.

That was February 2010 and we haven't had any problems since. About a month ago an 80 year old neighbor had the same thing happen to her - a nest above her window, dead bird below it and itching bites all over her. I told her to starve them and stay out for 4 weeks. The exterminators said their chemical treatment should work and she could go back in immediately, plus she was tired of living with her daughter, so she went back into her house after only 10 days out. Those mites were still alive and that night she was bitten again. She stayed out another couple weeks before going back again. Since then, no mites have bothered her.

For NFMs or TFMs, starve them! That means no bird blood or human blood for 4 weeks. If you have chicken mites, those can live 8 months without blood, so I don't know what to tell you.

Vigilance is required. I'm a very healthy 56 yo woman with type B+ blood and am very fortunate that I know exactly when and where I encountered bird mites. (Why did they attack me? I've always had problems with mosquitos and been sensitive to the sun... maybe it's the blood type. Beats me.)

Raking leaves on my front lawn, I must have inadvertently kicked a part of a bird's nest into the bag with the leaves. I planned on doing more yard work the next day and my jeans were "clean" so I folded them over a chair to wear the next day. Well I didn't get around to the yard work till 3 days later. I threw on my "clean" jeans and hopped in my car for a quick errand prior to the yard work. Two miles away from home I started scratching my legs like crazy. I was being eaten alive by mites that had multiplied by 1000X. Of course they got on my hands and arms and I managed to touch my face so they got my face too. I got home as quick as possible, stripped at the door and ran for the shower. (All clothing went into a trash bag.)

I'm so grateful for the Internet because I was quickly able to determine what had happened to me and found some reasonable ways to combat these bird mites. The first day I bombed my 600 sf apartment. (I've used a variety of bug bombs and purchased Onslaught and an IGR online.)

The second day I left for work really early in the morning. It was a cold and very windy day. Once again, about 4 miles away from home, I was overtaken with pain so severe that I was shaking when I got to work (just 4 minutes later). I was covered with red welts and only able to blurt out that I couldn't work today. Several co-workers seemed very alarmed by my physical appearance. I probably shouldn't have tried to drive home, but noticed that the pain was subsiding. By the time I got home I was still freaked out but able to shower etc. (The "venom" from the day's previous bites evidently dissipates over a period of 7 ish days, but reacts to severe temperature changes - especially cold wind. I bought some soft polyester blankety fabric and cut 10 swaths to use as a muffler whenever I went outside. I also bought 10 pairs of cheap woven mittens that could be washed.)

So began the war. My "HAZMAT" showers consisted of washing my hair with CVS brand coal tar shampoo.. leaving the lather in my hair. Scrubbing myself with a mitt and the shampoo. Spraying the shower/tub and shower curtain with Windex. Rinsing, (but still leaving some of the shampoo on my scalp). Then spraying myself with Windex. Rinsing again. I used one hand towel to blot with and then sprayed myself all over with the Windex again and dried off using a blow dryer. I initially did four HAZMAT showers a day. I'm down to one or two a day by week 4. (It's best not to be so vigorous that you break your skin.)

I've done everything I can think of to strengthen my immune system. (I had a cold the month before and had lost my voice the week prior.) Vitamins: C, D, B 12, Greens (containing chlorophyll), garlic, pro biotic/acidophilus. I've cut out sugar and bread/pasta...(not easy) and often eat a bag of (frozen) steamed broccoli with garlic salt for dinner. Also lots of spinach stew. I eat spicy/stinky foods including kim chee, drink lots of water with fresh lemons in it and I hope that I've changed my chemistry enough that I'm no longer an attractive/tasty host for these bugs.

Initially the weirdest thing I did was to apply clear packing tape to any area that was itchy. I'm not sure how it helped but the areas would no longer itch or require my attention. It was not unusual to find tape still in place when I got around to my shower. (Use pieces that are 4 - 6 inches and don't overlap them... bruising may occur when they are removed if too much skin is involved.) LOL, I still keep tape handy.

I bought various bug bombs, put borax in the carpet and got lots of Windex with a professional sprayer. I sprayed my ceiling and walls and whole room with Windex. The next day I would bomb it. I vacuumed every day, at least once. I've also used Lysol spray as an alternative. Although I've never liked "smelly" things or candles in a home... I burn a candle or incense almost constantly to confuse the "communication" of the mites.

My favorite overstuffed love seat, ottoman and mattress... I took to the dump. Maybe this wasn't needed but I would have always wondered. So for peace of mind, ya, it was necessary. I have a leather chair and ottoman that I now use and purchased a camping cot from Walmart. I put it's thin mattress on the front porch during the day to freeze out any mites and spray it all over with Lysol prior to sleep. My down pillow and favorite latex pillow were also replaced by a cheap pillow with a new zippered cover which is sprayed with either Windex or Lysol and then sealed in a trash bag during the day. I use a fresh pillow case every night and have a variety of small fuzzy polyester blankets that I use one time and then wash. I wear polyester leggings and a polyester zip up hoodie at night. No sheets. A small/safe oil filled electric heater comes in handy.

My best strategy has been to dry up the environment. These mites need moisture. I found the Diatomaceous Earth (DE) to be invaluable. I fill an old Gold Bond powder container with the stuff and "puff" it around the room. (A mask for breathing is suggested because it's not a good idea to inhale this stuff.) My carpet has lots of this DE in it and after I vacuum, I puff more of it into the carpet again. I also put this into my shoes and socks and rub it on my skin. It's not a nice powder but I hope the bugs have to crawl through it because it really hurts them.

My poor car. I've thrown out my steering wheel cover and carpet mats. I've bombed it almost every day and left the windows open a bit to make sure it's really a cold, uninviting space. I've even smoked a cigar in it... and I'm not a smoker. Ick. The car looks like a powder bomb went off because I've puffed so much DE into it...including the ceiling. I finally took it to a car wash when I felt that it was under control, but I still discretely put DE into the seats and smoke the cigar once in a while... still the same cigar. I may get another one and break it up under my seat because another poster says that mites don't like the tobacco.

I gargle with Listerine and smoke the cigar and clean my sinuses with a sinus rinse bottle to ensure that mites are not attracted to my insides. I sleep with ear plugs and put Sulfur 8 near my eyes.

Week three. I've applied straight bleach with a swab to suspect red bumps. I first noticed one under my ear. More swelling occurred and some of the surrounding skin turned brownish a few hours after swabbing, but the next day the area seemed much improved. Applying bleach to broken skin hurts like hell... no way around it. I was concerned in the third week that these different kind of bumps might be the beginning of Morgellons, which was to be avoided at all costs. I've had 6 areas that I treated this way.. on my upper chest, neck and face. I've used antibacterial ointment, but the moisture seems to encourage suspicious activity. I found some little fuzzy threads on one of the wounds with a magnifying glass and tweezers so I put up with the pain. I also dry these areas with a blow dryer and apply the DE directly to the wounds. Weird... but it seems to work. Believe me.. I check closely. Often the surrounding skin turns brownish... I still think some of the venom was there and reacted to the bleach. The Windex will hurt when you spray it on your skin too. Don't do everywhere at once. Do sections so that it's tolerable. I even sprinkle the DE into my hair.

Laundry. A very tedious and time consuming process. My washer/dryer is outside, around the house and down into the cellar. I have different bags for: Pillow cases/towels/cotton clothing/ polyester clothing/outer wear. It's best to turn stuff inside out when you take it off. The plastic bags should have a few moth balls (not the old fashioned ones), in them. Put a bag of laundry outside overnight. I wash everything in hot (my water heater is set at 140) water with 2 cups of ammonia, 1 cup of borax powder and detergent or dawn dishwashing detergent. Once the machine starts to agitate, I pull the knob out and stop it so the clothes can soak. I use disposable plastic gloves when putting the dirty clothes into the machine. I've noticed that my skin can turn red and itchy if hit with the hot water sometimes. All clothes are dryed in a hot/gas dryer for at least two cycles. When I come back in an hour to restart the washing machine, I restart the dryer for it's second cycle. All clothes go into white plastic bags when clean. If I'm wearing a soft cotton top for comfort and start itching or creeping out, I immediately remove it, put it in the "cotton" black plastic laundry bag. I put tape or bleach and/or DE on the area and put on clean clothing.

I tried using the laundromat for all this but you can't soak your clothes in hot water long enough. I wore some jeans from the laundromat experience and was uncomfortable. It's best to turn these clothes inside out when you take them off, just to make sure that the seams, etc. get the blast from the hot water/ammonia cocktail treatment. I had to re-wash everything.

Put moth balls into your vacuum cleaner bag and change the bags often.

I'm somewhat fearless in life... prior to this. Now I'm always vigilant about my diet and laundry and am concerned about visiting friends that have pets. I feel like I've won the war, but there's some residual factions that require diligence... so I'm going for overkill.

I have also had a bird mite infestation. First noticed a prickly feeling against my skin that started about 10:00pm after I had been in bed for about an hour. I couldn't see anything but noticed tiny black specks in my sheets that were prickly to touch. I also had bird lice at this time and managed to grab some samples.

That was just over four weeks ago now. I have not had a full night's sleep since that time (I know that 4 weeks of no sleep is nothing compared with what some of you have had to endure).

After vacuuming my bed, changing sheets, showering, covering myself in repellant ... you know the saga, I eventually slept in another bed. This just spread them to another room. I washed all my clothes and bed linen in hot water, dried in the sun and put them in black plastic bags. When the hot water ran out, I washed in cold water and put things in drier on hottest setting for at least half an hour (I've since learnt that this is not long enough.)

I got the pest controllers in. They sprayed the entire house, furniture, bedding and any items that were not in plastic bags. I had a couple of nights of just a few crawlies, then they were back in full force. Two nights after the spray I remember going through the night time scenario (outlined above) five times until I eventually became desperate for sleep, as I was starting to have trouble functioning in my busy job. I eyed off the bathtub at one stage but eventually curled up on the loungeroom floor on the floorboards. I now sleep in the loungeroom and only go tto the bedrooms fleetingly to get things.

I feel like I am getting on top of them by:

Chasing away the Indian Minas that were hanging around the back of the house (I believe they were the source).

Restricting my living to as small an area as possible in the house to restrict the extent of the infestation.

I don't sit on the lounges any more. I sit on one chair - the in front of the computer. This has been a site of infestation but recently I have found barely any crawling, due to methods outlined below.

Washed all walls and floors with Borax. I mop daily with Borax. I found a definite impact from using Borax.

I have cleaned furniture with Windex (not sure if Windex doing anything).

For the despicable crawling in private parts, I found doucing salted hot water provided instant results.

I sleep on an inflatable mattress in the middle of the loungeroom floor (after mopping floor with Borax).

I smother myself in lotion or oil mixed with high concentration of eucalyptus oil before sleeping at night. Found that this works well with low infestation. At the height of activity it was only mildly effective.

I am finding now that the crawlies have diminished greatly from what I had before. The problem now is getting the infestation from bedclothes. I have washed in boiling hot water with borax, dried on hottest setting but I am still having a problem killing the little bastards in thicker items like blankets.

Any ideas would be most welcome.

I really feel for all of you who are going through this. In a way I am lucky to be living alone. I can better control the location of the infestation and I don't have to worry about anyone thinking I'm mad. I did tell people at work and some immediately jumped to the conclusion that I was imagining things - oh well.

I am also lucky that I don't seem to react from the bites. I have no marks at all on my skin - further proof of my mental instability!

All jokes aside, I can see that this can easily become a psychological problem though as sleep deprivation takes hold. I am trying to meditate as much as possible and maintaining the thought that they will be gone. Logic tells me that if they have a life cycle of just three weeks and can only reproduce if they have access to a bird host then they have to eventually die off if I keep the birds away. I am focussing on that and I feel that I am getting on top of them.

I am in Australia. It seems all the information is coming from the US. It would be good to hear from other fellow Aussies who have been through this.

My thoughts go out to you all.

We live in a double volume thatch home in South Africa and have been bitten (mostly at night) by an unforseen crawlie.
We have ruled out bedbugs, fleas and the normal things that could bite.
We have discovered a bird nest under the thatch overhang less than a metre from the bedroom and a few weeks ago pulled out a nest (empty) from a shrub close to the door.
With interest we have been reading a few possible eradication methods but would like to know if these things we have are indeed bird mites can they live in the thatch roof, can they crawl up walls then drop down from the thatch onto beds, sofas etc.,
We can not disperse foggers as they would never reach the height of the ceiling.

Any suggestions please

You are facing a difficult task, especially if the mites are straw mites. The thatched roof is a natural environment for such mites. To eliminator the mites may require the services of a fumigation company that is capable of tenting your home and treating it with Vikane. This is a specialized treatment that requires a specific fumigation license.

I woke up yesterday with an unpleasant itching sensation on my crotch and abdomen, and found myself crawling with little grayish creatures. I initially thought that I was dealing with body lice, and captured a few before running down to the doctor's office to get suggestions for treatment.

I was prescribed a horrific Lindane shampoo that apparently overloads their little nervous systems, but this only weakened them - causing them to launch retaliatory raids on my armpits and genitals. Fortunately they largely avoided my wife, probably due to her pregnancy or habit of eating an Iraqi Tatziki dish that's incredibly heavy on the garlic.

After puzzling over the bugs I picked off of myself for a while, I decided that they were less lousy and more mite-like, and began doing research... and here we are. I discovered mites crawling over our walls and then the source - a recently vacated dove's nest, on the windowsill. I doused the kitchen walls in Windex (Ammonia D) and they died promptly, then sprayed down the nest with windex, followed immediately by bleach (for that extra deadly chemical reaction), which stopped all teeming in the nest, which I then scooped into a plastic bag and threw away. I mopped the halls, kitchen and living room with bleach water, and washed and dried on high heat everything I'd touched for the past week.

They're gone from the house for the moment, though I still have to shoo the bird away every now and then.

As for me, after the Lindane scrubdown, I sat around naked on the couch picking them off and/or covering them in rubbing alcohol, which does them in swiftly and delightfully. I then moved on to olive oil salt scrubs (nope), and lavender-tea tree oil bath, which was more effective. More recently, I made a solution of tea tree oil and shampoo (heavy on the oil), which I covered myself with in the shower. It seems to have killed the small ones and weakened the big ones, which I then plucked off. I've been about two hours without finding one, so I'm going to continue the treatment and remain vigilant with the dove until this passes. Fortunately we have all marble floors and concrete walls here...

I live in Thailand and it seems no even knows what I'm talking about. I can speak Thai but still they don't have any idea. Some birds nested in my roof - im top floor condo. when they left about a day later i felt something tickling, not biting, my face. Like a very small bug crawling on me. I think i have only a few bites so far. Ive had 3 sleepless nights and have to eork all day. Already I'm going a bit mad. I have seen a black spec mite twice now, but the others seem invisible. No Thai products have names of chemicals in english except one i got contains cypthrnothin and imiprothin. I can't read the directions in Thai. what should i do with this? I also can't find borax in thailand. and Thais wash all clothes in cold water. I don't know what to do. Someone said the thai pest guys will nuke my room with chemicals, though this has been dangerous in past - look deaths at Downtown Inn Chiang Mai. I bought menthol soap and DEET. am now downstairs and dare not to up. Really don't know what to do here.can boil clothes in pan i guess, but only have detergent. The nest is at top of condo down a vent and would be VERY hard to get to unless they cut through my wall. i really need to sleep, so tired I'm getting anxious. so far as yet tonight, no critters on me downstairs. but i guess they'll come. Should i get them to nuke room with noxious chemicals. What about nest they say they can't remove? one good thing is after shower these things dont seem to follow me outside. they come out at night and seem bearable in day. i actually got a black one today but could not trap it. Also, can i spray that bug killer with aforementioned chemicals anywhere, like on clothes. Can i breathe it it while inside? How to get nests at top of condos? would tesco sell borax as a brand name? Should i trust the thai nuke pest control? God i hate those birds now. Pleas help. I can't get hold of the things you talk about. Just deet and bug killer - that i cant read instructions of. the soap i have has tea tree oil, camphor, phai extract, menthol. also, i dont have time or money to wear new bed sheets every day, or wash all clothes every day. will boil in pan kill mites?

Cyphenothrin is formulated as a product for flea and tick control on dogs and horses. Imiprothrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide. It is an ingredient in some insecticide products, such as Raid, for indoor use.

Nest removal is the most important task at hand. As long as the nests are in place you are likely to continue having bird mite issues.

You cannot use the pesticide products on clothing or anywhere you may come in contact with it, such as bedding or a couch. Putting clothing in a hot dryer for about 20 minutes will kill insects. The clothes should not be washed first and you should not overload the dryer more than 1/3 filled. Vacuum rooms thoroughly and discard the vac bag after cleaning.

Hello...we are among you. Started with our neighbor giving us scabies after watching her child in our home. No problems before hand. Well got rid of them..but, we have 2 dogs and had to seperate them from us, and treat them just in case they had them. I am sure they did since they were housedogs. Well after spending LOTS of money...on revolution....frontline...vet visits...and Went to 3 different dermatologists giving us BS creams ect....and our pediatrician says, "NO WAY" you still have scabies" OUr nightmare gets worse. So, the dogs were in cages/crates while being treated....of course the vet says they are clear...just like the darn dermatologists....$$$$$(not still getting bites) Well our inside dogs became outside...and only indoors (in crates)if extremely hot etc. Well..one of our dogs was sleeping under our garage poarch light...guess what....a sparrows nest was directly above it. So, we have introduced a NEW bug....the bird mite. We have done it all...bleach spray....covered all matresses with expensive covers/pillows since down pillows covered them with 2 covers after drying in dryer...think I might get rid of them. We just bought them too...figures...I have little kids that are all over me, and everythig else....steamed couches several times..car....and our family and friends think I am crazy. Called our local exterminator..and the county health dept. Everyone points to someone else.....Health Dept. said so sorry just fumigate.??? REALLY???? we have been at this for 4 months...bagging all clothes Borax....etc. washing bedding 2 week..can't afford or do much more. I am the evil one for wanting to get rid of dogs...yet myself and kids are only ones being bit. So of course I am "crazy" well we just found the nest...will be removed and will burn clothes. Can't afford to move in this market! Oh, yeah and gave myself a PRONTO shampoo since I couldnt get rid of itchy on my head...Even after using Peremethrin a lot...after using Pronto..had all these tiny whit pin head mites well like 5 ot 6 tickeling my facial hair...took samples to a different dermatologist ..who tossed them and said you don't have scabies...go home and relax. Only for my kids to wake up with rashes the next day. This was before we found the nest my dogs were laying under for shade.....My husband has been calling me crazy but he is starting to feel crawls now and sees nothing...hmmm Well one thing that helps..is GOldbond...does't kill but helps keep them away. Sprinkle on furniture and steamed with Shark steamer....may try Borax next. I noticed Thymol is in GOldbond....and tried Seventh Generation cleaner that has thymol in it. spray it in the shower after showering....seems to help. Used to love birds...not anymore. No more animals in my house except we for now still have our beloved dogs....but I can't do this forever...especially with a 2 AND 4 YEAR OLD! I can only clean soo much with them destroying and contaminating everywhere I turn. Afraid to let my dogs loose...how horrrible this has been. Going to try peppermint. and Burts bees has some good products. But thymol....I wonder. I read it kills bee mites.....so I have been using that. God help us....I am losing it!I take benedryl every night now

I am just so upset. I have been up all night with being bit, bird mites crawling all over me, in my ears, in my eyes, up my nose, my scalp, everywhere. I went to the Doctor today and low and behold my medication was not at the pharmacy and the office had closed. I had to call the Doctor on call 2 times. I just looked up the medicine he gave me cause its not working and found out what he gave me was for scabies. Hello, did he even listen to what I was saying. Scabies medicine does not work on Bird Mites. My apartment, along the floors meeting the wall is where all kinds of bugs come in. There are birds nesting in the metal under the roof that over hang where your doors to the outside are. The long mass of honeysuckle is infested with nesting birds. I mean literally at my back door. Like 4 feet. They are also doing construction here all summer and redoing everything. I have been putting up with this problem for about a month. I have cronic pain from many things so it makes it difficult to clean walls, etc. My body just shuts down with pain. There is no one I know who would wash my walls and things. My pet indoor parrots that I have had for 14 years are infested now. I had to give them Ivermectin. The little one I had to bath. I am so worried about them. I know these bird mites can kill birds, plus they carry diseases. There is a dead bird under my window that I saw today. I have not only seen bird mites in here all over but these tiny hopping black bugs, these flying tiny fly like things that bite, these tiny sliver looking bugs, and some bugs were flying around me when I was at the pharmacy. The exterminator will be here Friday. Today was Tuesday when I was told that. My neighbor across the street said he had them and what ever the exterminator used took care of the problem. There are so many things on the internet about mites and what to do. It gets confusing because everyone tells what they tried. Some can contradict others. It would be great if their was a clear picture on how mites are treated on humans, on inside parrots etc. The listerine treatment does not seem to work for me, eating sugar things make the mites go wild, I use a tens machine for my back and that on a low frequency seem to help a little. The bird mites are tiny clear that turn red or black when they suck blood. They say they are in the tick family. I despise parasites and try not to think about what they do. I am fine with snakes, spiders etc. Parasites put me overboard. Oh yes, I use dawn a lot to clean with and even wash my hair in it. I saw somewhere that rinsing your hair with vinegar and water helps. I wish everyone peace in the mite world and speedy recovering. Oh and really upsetting me is fearing the pesticide the guy uses will kill my parrots. Thank you all.

This thing is very upsetting and scary. I just got the problem started in my house. A couple of weeks after removing a pigeon (and stupidly leaving the nest!!) my daughter started complaining about little bugs on her skin. After looking at the critters under the microscope, they appear to be some sort of mite. because the birdś nest was next to my daughters room, logical conclusion is these are bird mites.
After reading the web site I was very scared on what these things can do to ones lifestyle. So I went to home depot and walmart and started buying a lot of different insecticides. I tried to get the components for the home made control I found out that sevin 10 is out of the market, so I was left only with Hartz tick and flea powder.

I did a few tests with the mites we have, and these are the results:

* Hartz Ultraguard Flea & Tick Carpet Powder
Active ingredients:# Linalool 2.500% Piperonyl Butoxide, 0.500% Pyrethrins 0.075% Nylar** 0.020%
Put the mite on a surface lightly powdered with it, and saw the mite die under my microscope. YAY!!

* Boric Acid 99% (used for roaches) Did nothing. At least not as an immediate killer. May have to repeat experiment and observe evolution, since this is a safe method.

* Hot shot Bedbug & Flea
Active ingredients: 3-phenoxybenzyl cycloproanecarboxylate 0.4% N-Octyl bycycloheptene dicarboximide 1.6%.
Killed the mite on contact. residual effect apparently was taking care of other mites that were not the target of the directed spray. Pay attention cause there is another Hot shot, same packaging that uses a different active ingredient (Pyrethrins and Piperonyl butoxide) that many forums advise against for bird mites control. I got this one at walmart.

REPELLENT: Insect repellent with 30% deet successfully deterred mites. (mite was on my finger and moved away of sprayed zone)

I have also contacted a local exterminator and will keep you posted of any events.

I still have not had a reinfestation for 2 years now. I wanted to add that I started Rosemary growing on my balcony and have no mosquitos, no no-see-ems biting me. Used to be I'd go out on my balcony and get bit by something, look down on my arm and something tiny would be there. Now I don't have that problem anymore and just as the sun goes down in summer, the mosquitos would attack me, no more. I understand that catnip is also a good plant to have to keep bugs away. I definitely want to get some more Rosemary growing, the more the better. I hope this added bit helps somebody.

I haven't slept for months now but I never put two and two together. I have been getting progressively sicker but thought it was due to stress. It first started about a month ago when I developed scabies from by dog's ear mites. I was treated twice with elimite and the large bites around my breasts and feet went away, but the tiny red blood blisters remained all over my torso. The dermatologist seems to think that those little marks are hereditary. I am a R.N. for 28 yrs now- disabled. I have splenic lymphoma,diagnosed 2 yrs ago, which I just found out one of the lesions just doubled in size, and in the past week, I have started to have a low grade pain on my left side by my waist. I have been finding these little black and yellow marks,circular and ones I call spirochetes all over the bathroom and kitchen are a golden color. I was thinking my puppy was bringing them in, now,I'm not so sure. The more people I talk to tell me I must have a nest some where. Because my dog sleeps with me, I have always made a habit of brushing her on a wee wee pad with a fine tooth comb and taking what falls off of her with a lint roller. I then examine them with a jewelers loop that is 10x magnification, so I can see somewhat the shape, color, etc. I showed this to our exterminator (Terminex)but he knows nothing about bird mites, and to make matters worse, I live with a sister who is in complete denial and thinks I am completely obscessed and have lost my mind, because I am collecting bugs! She will not allow me to call in a specialist. Not even if I spend my own money, although the evaluations are FREE! I live all the way on one side of a very large house and my room faces a lake and the pool. We have all kinds of fowl around here in South Florida. Cranes,Hawks,Owls,who knows? all kinds of birds. I have read and read and what I have been doing is washing everything in hot water and bagging the clean and the dirty separately. I never wear anything twice. I use apple cider vinegar or alcohol to clean with. I make a mixture of a/c vinegar, 10 drops of tea tree oil, a drop of dawn dishwashing liquid to a bucket of water and I put that in a spray bottle to both clean the bathroom floor before I shower and on my bedroom carpet. Now I bought a sweeper instead of a vacuum, so I'll have to see if there's a difference with that. I use a soap with Lavendar essential oils on me when I shower and in between, the 50% a/c vinegar will remove any bugs on me or the dog or the best killer is 91% alcohol. Now that the dog is reddened and has open areas on her skin, I use either EMU oil or a combination of other essential oils called PET MEDIC a leave in conditioner. Coconut oil, baby oil or any oil will kill the mites, but then you have to wash the oil out. We are managing. Keeping them under control, but its quite a labor of love. I haven't watched TV for weeks now because of my cleaning routine and my sister is trying to have me thrown out. I have absolutely NO appetite, so when everyone says not to have sweets, I find that sooooooooo difficult. If anyone knows of a good dermatologist near Boca in S. Fla, please get back to me. They are starting to go to my face now.