Bird Mites

My wife and I have just identified bird mites in our house in Honolulu, HI. Source was a dead bird in a nest above our bedroom window that we found yesterday. We both felt the crawling sensation at night, but only I was being bitten. I have over 60 bites on my body from the last couple of nights we spent at home. They go for the warmer areas of the body, I believe. This is so awful! The mites are < .5 mm and are black/clear unless filled with blood.

We have called Sandwich Isle Pest Control and are arranging for treatment. We have evacuated our house with a few valuable belongings and have washed some clothes in very hot water and have those with us, too. (Couldn't find any Borax in any stores in Honolulu, they are all sold out, which makes me wonder...) We taped ourselves off completely (skin and clothes) before leaving the house the last time yesterday. Please pray for us! We are so upset by everything we've read. If we are successful in getting rid of the mites, I will let everyone know how we did it.

FOr all of those who have problems with bird mites or any other kind of mites please buy ARM AND HAMMER POWDER DETERGENT, PERFUME FREE DYE FREE DERMATOLOGIST TESTED. its non toxic and the easiest cheapest way to kill mites. just mix a few teaspoons of the powder in water and use a spray bottle to spray the house . it kills mites on contact. I read on topix.com its a cure for mites. alot of people were able to kill them by soaking there house in the arm and hammer detergent solution. you can bath with it as well...its the easiest way and most non toxic way to kill. i have used it myself and it really kills them on contact! it does not smell either. just buy the right product...u can even use the cool breeze kind works the same.

I have been raising birds outside in flights in los angeles ca since 1983. several time i have come into my flights, looked in nests and found an outbreak of mites. These catch me off gaurd and have run up my arms by the thousand and attack me. I have been successfull at getting rid of them on multiple levels of infestation including in my house. I live in the desert and wild mice are a real mite problem as well as my arch nemisis the common hous sparrow. All the mice and sparrows that i have killed in the wild are full of them and at least 200 sparrows fly around my yards, sleep in my trees and even try building nests in my truck engine almost weekly. I am going to invent a sparrow eclectrical zapper. My problem is that with my exotic pet bird it is not if the mites will get them but when. I use Piretherins for dog and cat flea dips on the birds with a garden pump sprayer. I mix it about 15% to water. I also use a little instant coffee and chewing tobacco extract for added affect. I remove all nest boxes that are unused, clean the flight and spray birds and everything. the plastic kid fishing pool i suspend in order to keep out rodents is washed. the birds don't like it but they get no choice. Sometimes the babie birds stress and die and i might loose some eggs. Over all, one good spraying will kill everything. The spray stays out of the birds food and water. For me, i just spray myself in the process, launder my clothes and take along soapy shower. i suspect that all of you are facing a mamail mite that can thrive off your blood. Because i raise lab mice for my snakes, i have also gotten thouse. they are more dark thatn red but can still be red. my reptiles have gotten mite and they can not be treated with toxins. that is the worst! also diotenatious earth powder will kill andy mite alive if it touches them. if you have furiture or appliances, put them out in the sun if safe and it will kill everything when it cooks. i use this on bird cages and tanks. good luck.

I feed wild birds on the ledge of my window, as well as squirrels, in front of my house. I also have bird houses and bamboo houses for Wrens to sleep in where they raise families. The birds, Cardinals, Doves, Wrens and others all depend on the food and the refuge. I never even considered bird mites when I checked on the houses. Recently I was on the back porch putting up baskets for protection in the pending snow storm. Then my nightmare began with bites and itching. Not only do I have the horror of this, but I also have my inside birds to consider, and now they will probably be contaminated with bird mites, which they have never had. My main fear is to use something to get rid of the bird mites that would kill one of my birds. I am in the shower washing my hair and washing clothes to no avail. I ordered SteriFab, but it has to make contact with the mite to kill it, and I worry if it is safe to spray in any vacinity of my birds. I ordered Diatomaceous Earth, too. I thought Borax was poisonous or dangerous for animals, but don't know for sure. I have rescued dogs and birds. I appreciate all the comments so much, and am absolutely frantic and depressed. I don't want to just abandon the outside birds, they have depended on me for years. They sing from the trees when they need more food, and the little ones are safe at night under the roof of the back porch. Now I don't know how to protect my inside birds from mites that are biting me!! So far they show no signs of having them, and are not scratching.
For me, I am miserable and my nerves are shot from this nightmare, and need to know safe things to use that will not harm my birds. I cannot use the heat treatment. Do mites just crawl or can they jump long distances? It has reached the point that when I walk out the back door I feel that they are biting my legs, but I may just be so stressed out that I am imagining that!
Thank you for taking the time to share your stories!

I will use all civilized methods to rid myself of bird mites, but I will not, nor do I respect, using cruel and inhumane actions that result in the deaths of helpless birds. Cruelty toward birds, any kind, and toward any kind of animal is just barbaric and mean. ALL animals are loved by God, and He sees the sparrow when it falls. Likewise, mice deserve to live and not die a horrible death. Taking the high road is a good thing, and protecting the helpless is much to be respected and admired. Animals have a hard enough time without being cruelly treated or killed. So I am interested in all information about removing mites that doesn't involve cruelty or danger to birds or other animals. Thank you.

Mites do need certian things to live, and of course I do beleive that God will let us kill them, even pregnate mite and babies. Animal keep them under control because they know what to do and we can learn from that. Birds and rodents will take dust baths. Mites will dry up and sufficate with diotenatious earth. Mites breath through their abdomines so they will not choke when they bite us. Oils and barriers on our skin will kill mites. My cockatoos all love natural insectacides. Eucaliptis tree leaves have such a natural bug KILLER in it that my birds will put them on their backs and rub them under their feathers just for the fun. They will even groom eachother with it and look like an indian covered with decorations. My goffens get horny and put it into nests with their eggs.Coffee and tobacco tea will KILL mites and here us people spend millions on it. Mites need food and have several life stages of which only a couple require a feed. Unless mites have a large plentifull food source they will never reach swarm status. Stop and isolate the food and they will starve. Even thou they reproduce quickly, so does their life expire. Never will you hear of the 40 year old vergin mite. Snakes love to drownd them. There are even backyard mites that eat mite. Some people use a type of paracitic fungus to KILL mites and you can buy it on the internet. Most all house hold chemicles will KILL them. Don't panic friends, we will over come this with good cleaning and prevention. Some homes have wild animals in the atic and under the house and in the ivy. When I worked for animal control I did find that this built up for weeks to months in order to reach swarm porportions. most mites are host spacific and like the EXTERMINATOR (someone who KILLS) said, CAN NOT LIVE OFF HUMANS BUT ONLY BITE US IN DESPERATION. Starve them, poision them, sufficate them, let them die of old age, don't let them panic you, they are not as clever as the human, stand your grownd and win, win win! l.o.l.

Have had success with a regimen:Shower in am and pm before bed. Wash bedding with bleach, Tide, Borax and 1/2 c blue Dawn. Some days I soak them until I get home from work. AM shower: Use Denorex on Hair, on body. Use Tea Tree Oil (Dr. Woods) afterwards. Dry off...use Gold BOnd Body Lotion Green Bottle...then Use JR Watkins Pain Relieving Liniment. Spray with Off Deep Woods. PM Shower: Denerox on hair, body. Then use Epsom Salts in plastic cup (1 cup ful). Hands are wet, dip index finger into salts, put down throat (feel like vomiting) and drink shower water to swallow Epsom salts. Put index and middle fingers into Epsom Salts (finger are wet), stick into my nose. While shower water is running onto my hand, I put my nose in my hand with the water and blow the salts out into the water...you have to feed the water into the nose. Microwave clothes one at a time: denim jeans level 8 for 20 seconds, cover up the metal and push down onto plate. Long sleeved shirts level 8 for 30 seconds. Brassieres 10 seconds level 8...wait till cool, then 10 seconds on level 7...have to roll hook side under the clasp side and then roll the whole bra into a long cigar shape...socks and underpants go level 8 for 30 seconds. Sheets and blankets one at a time for 45 seconds level 8...take out the plate for the blankets...spray rubbing alcohol onto plastic covers on bed and pillow then put on bedding. I found if I spray rubbing alcohol into the heat ducts, the black specks are far and few between...soak shoes in rubbing alcohol in dish pan overnight. Rinse, let dry. I have been wrapping my feet in Glad Cling Wrap and then putting my tights/trouser socks/gym socks over the cling wrap...noticed a great difference with feet...bug bomb with hot shot every 3 days in apartment...also the car with small orange raid can...cover up plastic speedomoter with plastic bag and then cover that with towel...do every 3 days...heat car up first. Best thing found is to use Compound W for bumps...can apply onto finger, then onto the bumps on buttocks, back, arms, etc...had a teardrop shaped shell "planted" inside the arm on inside of elbow...was hard and grew when I scratched it...knew there were eggs inside...used small knife point heated with match to cauterize the hard shell...it took a few days of doing this 2x a day...but then I finally broke through and that shell depleted itself...I squeezed the area and a creamy whitish substance squirted...kind of like a pimple...use ear drops with sulphur and eye drops when feel critters moving around...keep vaccuum cleaner bag in ziplock bag that I spray Raid Garden stuff in...these things are inside cavities in my body...I use toilet paper sprayed with rubbing alcohol and stick it in anus to clean...also spray another toilet paper (2-3 sections) with rubbing alcohol and swipe front that has been shaved completely. House in the north reinfests me during school breaks...even with pest control...this summer will try the tent...hope and pray it works...cannot have family over to house...had 3 bird's nests...opened screened windows on nice summer day last year and voila, in came those black specks! Am in the south working...stay clear of people who hug...don't want them to get this...have noticed black specks in toilet paper...kleenix...bathroom counters, bathtub walls...in the hotel rooms...so I know a lot of people are going through all this...we all need help...they do make you tired and your body starts to ache...use vaporizer to keep them out of the lungs...did the lady from NY ever have success with her hospital stay and the eradication from her home?

I have tried everything. Am going to try Arm and Hammer powder detergent that Lisa suggested. But don't know how much water you add to the powder to spray. Please advise.

Dealt with this problem for over 4 years...started with robin's nest on back door. DON'T let birds live around or near you unless you're crazy. Nothing has worked for us, this is crazy.

I use Arm & Hammer detergent and Borax and it gets them out of my clothes.
So will make a solution with the detergent and spray everything with it and see how it works. My body wash & shampoo has been Dawn,tea tree oil and borax and( soap up three times and leave it for ten minutes each time)it kills the ones that are crawling around but they keep coming back.
Now going to try Baby shampoo, coffee, Arm& Hammer laundry detergent. If this doesn't work I'm going to try a Zapper.

Neem oil. It smells like rotten Lima beans but it works great. Rub this all over your body after you bathe- a little goes a long way. Rub in ears and under feet. Chlorinated baths a couple times a week to remove their pheramone. Amonia makes the jump like crazy- use in steam cleaner. Vasaline on my feet seem to reduce their #'s. You are the bait. Trap them then kill them. Daily sinus rinse and vasaline on a cotton ball in the ear will kill the mites there. Ear doctors say no but with warm water and dawn you can rinse out vasaline. Also sticky fly paper under a bandaide on your bottom of feet at night will give u some
peace. Question: I have moved out from house but husband has not. Why hasn't he been bit? He chewed tabacco for 20 years. Do you think that's it?

Can you guys tell me if bird mites ever present as head lice?

I've been dealing with mites since last May. Turns out I had a double whammy with my parrot bringing them in from outside and house finch nests near my windows. (I'm on the second floor but the vines on the building were thick enough for nests, 2 I could see and another 4 I couldn't). After spending hundreds on all the bombs and insecticides, I've found the best way to deal with them is with boric acid. Mix 1 cup of powder (which dissolves better than the crystals) in a gallon of water and spray and mop with it. I keep a bottle handy to spray myself too (it isn't toxic to people or pets, I keep some at home and at work and spray it where and when I feel them). Borax hand soap helps too, I add that to the laundry and bathe with it. Eye drops that contain boric acid are also handy. Though the problem isn't completely gone, it no longer controls my life and I can sleep again, wahoo. I did find a new home for my parrot after giving him multiple doses of ivermectin and my cat gets Revolution every 3-4 weeks (but still lives with me and scratches on occasion). Early on I used Arrid extra dry but it is really nasty, so I was glad to find a replacement.

DNL, have you ever captured any of those black specks and had them formally identified?

After 20 months my problem has all but gone, mostly I believe through natural attrition. Taking the occaional > 1 week vacation provides some mental relief.

We've had red bird mites for almost 2 years. Our dog and our cat also have them. We spent thousands trying to get rid of them. I've come to believe that I will die with bird mites. The first year I didn't buy clothes, but now I don't care. I try on clothes when I need to buy something. My dogs smell other dogs on their walks. I don't however, let anyone come to my home. This is really isolating.

There doesn't have to be any birds for bird mites to survive. They can take our blood. I have the problem now because of contact with a bird cage months ago on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

LM and Maxic, there are different species of bird mites and non-bird mites. According to their biology bird mites need bird blood to produce "viable" offspring. However, some bird mite species and non-bird species can go into diapause to survive adverse conditions or between breeding seasons of their hosts, so up to 9 or 12 months in some species. The red chicken mite is one.

If you believe you have a mite that defies scientific knowledge, catch it for proof and take it to an entomologist.

I'm not doubting you guys. I too have had a long term infestation (most likely Fodder Mites) which seems to have extinguished itself after 20 months. My explanation is their 12 month diapausal state and poor food supply.

About the question whether they sometimes present as head lice, sometimes they do initially attack the head. My husband and i thought we got head lice at the movies and the emergency room agreed with us, but after rashes showed up on my body and I caught a black thing on my face and put it in alcohol, my dermatologist identified the problem as bird mites. The birds had left an outside nest on the porch 5 days before and the mites swarmed in through a louvre window. This was last July. We tented the house and still actually saw a few afterwards but they died down during the winter. Now they seem to be starting up again. It is unbelievable.

They can present as head lice. I have been taking Ivermectin,abendazole, and Doxycyline . Plus sulfer lotions as often as i can . THis has been SLOWLY reducing them little by little about 2% per month. I also scrape them with a knive and them apply the sulfer or a Borax mix with peroxide overnite.... I cant believe this nitemare... but it getting better .... god bless! anyone who goes thru this

When birds leave a nest that is physically contacting your house it is best to remove the nest but to be sure to wear protective clothing from head to toe when doing so. No need to remove the nest while the birds are still using it because the mites will stay with the birds. Sometimes the birds might return to roost for one or two days after the babies leave the nest, but after that you might want to wear protective clothing and remove the nest.

I've had some type of mite (probably bird mite) for 2 and a half years now. Yeah! you know the story. Thousands of Dollars on poisons, sealed containers.I developed a drug habbit trying to cope with lack of sleep and long hours at job.(speed)I am a recluse now because of shame and fear of spreading the infestation to friends house.These mites are in my eyes my sinuses' my ears, and i think i am passing them in my stool. almost 3 years of hell that no doctor has been able to help at all . I wouldn't wish this curse on my worst enemy. Alternative----suicide mabee. I am so tired of this battle I can no longer think positive

Markus,

Bird mites don't go inside. If you're having feelings that you're being bitten from the inside and passing them in stool then you need to look up Morgellon's Disease. The distinguishing symptom that separates bird mites from Morgellon's is that bird mites you feel outside, and Morgellon's you feel inside. Do to your doctor and ask for a skin scraping.

Actually Al, while you have a point about identifying Morgellans from a chronic bird mite infestation -- there are documented cases of bird mites seeking internal environments and have been recovered in human stool, lung and sinus washings. Total IGE and mite specific IGE will be elevated - as collecting and identifying in stool while has been done gives a low yield.

While there is no good silver bullet to dealing with any of this sort of things and is why the medical profession is helpless (and uneducated) on these matters -- We have to turn to strengthening our own bioenvironments - and disinfecting our surrounding environments.
I know for myself -- that if taking up chewing tobacco would ward these things off -- then would do so. In addition to many of the suggestions others have provided - like borax, sulfur -- try adding Biz or some sort of laundry enzyme to your regimens. Color fast bleach has ionic and nonionic surfactants and proteases which help destroy the exoskeletons and for Morgellans folks - will help to oxydize and clean the lesions in a soaking bath. A little added to bath water goes a long way - 1 to 2 tsp only. Use in wash with borax - a formadiable combo and no worry of creating gas off's such as when using ammonia and bleach etc. do be careful about combinging too many of these chemicals (borax, biz, sulfur, detergent etc) in the bath - because you must have healthy skin to fight any infestation. Use oils - Cedra Deadora (Himalayan Cedar which can be obtain from Sun Pure Botanical - not to be mistaken with Cedarcide or the Cedar oil commonlly available which is Cedrus Atlantica) has proven miticide properties for sacoptic mites on sheep. Problem with acarid mites is they don't stay still in little keratin pouches like sarcoptic mites do and we need goop to stay on the skin to slow them down.

Mix about 15% to 18% Himalayan Cedar oil in vasoline or eucerin cream and apply round the clock and to your scalp and face. Ladies have to cut hair short. I still use the mentholatem for the nostrils and ears and eyes and have good success with that for sleep. Benzyl benzoate also kills these things - whereas all the other human medicines do not (Lindane, permithrin 5% or Eurax)but must make contact and ought to be in an oointment form to be gooing on the skin again -- otherwise -- these critters just move out of the applied area. Can apply to the whole body - scalp and face but is a little tough to take -- stings - but is effective. Made a shampoo with 7% BB and toughed it out in the bath for 10 minutes - 3 consecutive days and really knocked them down. Also, Happy Jack Sardex II is a 29% BB in propylene for dog mange and is easier to apply to the scalp -- but not immediately after a bath or shower -- I recommend applying vasoline after to help it and the mites stay in place -- but BB lotion - preferrable ointment must be applied to rest of body or they will just move around.

As for sulfur -- precipitated sulfur doesn't totally do it as doesn't necessarily get into the hair follicles -- esp on the scalp that many species prefer. I have found lime sulfur dip (Vet Solutions)which is yellower, smellier and more sensitizing to be a better prep. BUT -- do not prepare at the 10% level -- is way to caustic. Test try 5% -- but may have to go to a 3 or 4% vasoline ointment. It tends to curdle lotions etc. - so use vasoline with just a small tad of olive oil initially mixing the liquid sulfur. And, for the head -- may try just olive oil and this liquid sulfur -- but go easy -- a teaspoon of sulfur to 9 tablespoons plus 2 teaspons of olive oil to make a 3% solutions. If this doesn't burn you -- then can go up to 4% or even 5%.

As for internal mites -- ivermectin is all that I can think to try - at least 300mcg/kg at least weekly. I have no problem with the added Albendazole - but have found that it requires fairly high doses to have any affect - and doxy -- well for possible indolent Chlamydia or Mycoplasm or other L-form bacteria that could be taxing the immune system. Might want to add MSM to sulferize your internal environment and or can add a double strength bactrim or septra daily or bid - depending on how much MSM.

Plus -- on the very odd chance that a mite vectors a 'wild type' nematode or filarial form such as a zoonotic Oncherca or such -- doxy may have some effect on the adult worm's bacteria symbiot and help to kill them -- as it is now -- nothing kills the adult worms.
If vectored a Strongyloides and lucky enough for it to be a wild zoonotic type then do the iver a few times - several weeks apart. But, if the GMO nematode -- all bets are off and dealing with the biofilm and bioterrain with colloidal silver and food grade DE and Vits, minerals and so on -- and sleep -- take what you have to sleep -- along with environment and oxygenizing MMS or bathings in Biz etc. is the best we can do for now.

But back to bird mites. Something in us is sending them the message that we are fair game (and contrary to former teachings many species of rodent/avian mites can adapt to human environments and complete their life cycles. So we must get ourselves healthy - which involves whole other protocols and commitments.

so sorry to hear so many people suffering with this. I have been battling it for 3 months and have it down about 90% but just can't quite get over the hump to a cure where I can have any confidence in engaging with my life and environment again. (despite collecting numerous dark specs in the past have not been able to get an ID -- first batch went unbenounced to me to Quest Labs which was a waste - they don't have entomologists looking.

But, I have been able to knock them down significantly with a few regimens now and only a few specks once and a while. Am going to add tobacco juice to some of the essential oil applications and shampoos.

Best of luck all -- and please don't lose hope -- these are bugs and you are bigger and stronger in the end. Zen yourself to success and let those around you love you as you can - knowing that the skin stays isolated.

Good info from ALE !!

Markus, have you tried going on extended vacations of 2+ weeks to see if you can get rid of the symptoms at least while your away from your house?

I am a nurse. Will I have to give up my work over this??? I'm not sure it's birdmites. Doc is sending me to a dermatologist and I'm supposed to hear back from an exterminator who works with entomologists to get an ID. I'm due to start a new job in a hospital on April 5th. Help!!!

I have tried everthing bleach,boric acid,mint listerine,teatree oil and etc.. but the only thing that works is boiling clothes every time I used and rubbing alcohol on my body and then apply a lot of baby powder and taking zyrtec every day and in my face I am usin antibiotic cream I think is working

Hi nurse, do you still have the problem? Did you get an ID on those mites? did you get a scientific name for it (genus and species)? In most cases bird mites should die out within a few weeks of fixing the source (eg nests, aviaries). I wouldn't be too concerned unless the problems persists for more than 2 months after removing the source.

I live in Port Harcourt Nigeria. Mine started in 2007 atfter some birds hatched their eggs on two orange trees infront of my office. I started to feel this crawling sensation and bites on my body. I could not see any thing and I was the only one affected. This has been on till now even though less tough. The same thing followed me to my house and I am still the only one affected. I have spent thounsands of Naira trying to eliminate them but to no success. So many fumigations and spraying pest control of chemicals have done nothing to it. Recently I met a vet doctor who recommended Benzyl benzonate and I am using it.The bites seem to have reduced but the crawling feeling is still there.Many of the chemicals I see on the web are not available in Nigeria here. I read in a website where Beta Cyfluthrim was mentioned but I cannot get hold of it here.
My big question is this. Why am I the only one that gets attacked from my office to my home?

Hi Wayne,

I have received no ID. The exterminator wasn't concerned and I can't get into the dermatologist until May. Here's what I did to take care of the situation on my own.

I bought a dehumidifier and kept the humidity under 32% for a week and bought a Hepa air filter as well. I went on a mad cleaning spree with Borax and bleach and Orange pledge, and scrubbed absolutely every inch of my small apartment. I vacuumed daily with arm and hammer hepa vacuum bags. By the time the exterminator came, he couldn't find a trace of anything. So I got no ID.

I was still having some crawling sensations by that time, so I soaked my head in baking soda and water for 15 minutes and then washed it out with Dawn dish soap. I also soaked in a Kleen Green (enzyme) bath for 30 minutes at night and in the morning for 3 consecutive days.

And since then, I pretty much haven't been bothered by whatever it was.

My concern however is that the exterminator wasn't concerned to figure out where they came from and so there was no source removal. I'm just hoping they don't come back.

I looked myself for possible sources. There was a dead bird 2 ft from my car but it was in my neighbor's storage shed behind a sealed window. There is a bird nest in the very top of a very tall tree between my bedroom window and the neighbor's bedroom window. But she'd had no complaints. (But she kept that window closed due to no having a screen.) And both myself and this neighbor had heard rodents scurrying in the wall between our two apartments. The maintenance man set traps and such in the basement and I hear them snap at night.

I don't know if maybe that was the source, but I'm just hoping I don't have to go through this again.

Good luck to everyone else, and I'll be checking in periodically for tips in case this saga isn't over.

Thanks for inquiring. P.S. How do you catch one of these little buggers for an ID should it come up again?

I have been experiencing these biting, crawling symptoms for three years now and have tried everything. Five dermatologists, allergists, exterminators, oils, powders, bug bombs...nothing has worked. I am considering a heat treatment as long as they give me a written guarantee or I am selling the house. I have found many online forums with people giving lots of input, but noticed a definite cure for home and self has never been found. If someone has had success meaning no more mites, please tell us. Has anyone had their home tented by an exterminator? Heat treatment worked for anyone? Thanks

I have had this problem for about 3 years now. I have gone mad cleaning and painting the house but to no avail.
So frustrated - I am a CLEAN FREAK and this had to happen to me. My husband thinks I am NUTS - he does not get any bites at all. My daughter is also being bit - and me? I have a complete collection of bite scars all over my body. I think I am nearing the end of my rope - I am tired of cleaning and cleaning and acting goofy putting clothes in plastic, wearing jacket and hat inside the house just to prevent these stupid good for nothing bugs feast on me ... I need help, my husband does not believe there are mites in the house - he tells me I am crazy and does not even help nor commiserate in trying to solve this problem, he thinks it is all in my mind. I have gone to the dermatologist and my physician before but they could not identify the bugs and cannot do anything - suspect I am losing it nor going off the deep end. HELP - I NEED HELP....PLEASE!!! I am so tired and about to give up!

Capture one. Just one. Then, have someone with a powerful microscope make an identification. Until you do that you will find no one to help. Stop talking about it and capture one. Insects are not invisible. They may be small, but not invisible.

Thank you very much. I will do that and hope we can come up with some identification. Like I said, its been a tiring and unpleasant couple of years...I am physically, mentally and emotionally drained... and I am at the end of my rope and about ready to give up! I asm not a quitter but this is one hell of a SCOURGE - A LIVING HELL!!

Have a bottle of rubbing alcohol handy and a small disposable container. If you feel a bite on your face run to the mirror and if you see something black pluck it off and put it in alcohol. You're not alone, try not to give up.

Help me out here - I have tried using almost all the products suggested, and been scrubbing carpets and walls with borax, windex, using menthol to get rid of these pests, and I will for a little while feel like they have gone away only to be frustrated the following day because my husband uses socks inside and outside the house and in so doing, re-introduces them inside the house again. He does not believe there are mites inside the house as he does not get bit and it does not bother him. I am tired - tired of cleaning and tired of being branded as a mental case....I cannot take on this problem all by myself - and cannot get my husband to cooperate nor to help me - they think I have allergies. I will try to see the doctor again - but I know this willbe for naught...I was a pharmaceutical rep and I know what an allergy is - but maybe I can try to rule out one thing and then start again from scratch. I need help - no one seems to care!

Insects like some to bite some people and not others. No doubt about it. It's best to capture one of the mites and get it identified. Knowing the exact species helps in learning where they are nesting.

Dear Rick, if it would be helpful, I could send you an email with photos attached of bird mite BITES and if you post them it might help people identify if that's what they have. I know for sure I had bird mites because I caught some and brought them to my knowledgable dermatologist, plus we had had a bird's nest touching the house and the babies had left the nest 5 days before I got attacked. My husband photographed the bites so that we could determine whether I was getting new bites or if things were settling down after trying various methods. I had so many bites that we needed this method to determine if I was getting new bites. From these photos you can also see the pattern of the bites, many in a row, which might be helpful to people trying to figure out if they have bird mites. And definitely they settle on one person in the household, usually the female.

Sorry, but a dermatologist can only identify the bites as insects. He cannot determine what type of insect has bitten you solely by inspecting the bite. Can't be done! Lots of insects leave lines of bites, including bed bugs. If you wish to send me pictures you must contact me via the "Ask the Exterminator a Question" button at the top of the page. Thanks!

Last June the problem began, the pest control people identified bird mites. I was the only one being biten. It took 3 months of frantic cleaning washing and sleeping with vasaline up my nose, around my eyes and mouth. Eventually it all stopped until this month. I'm not being biten but feel crawling just like before-no bird nest this time. Why has it started again? It isn't nearly as bad as last time haven't tired borax, the exterminator helped but it still took a while for them to completly die.

We have similar problems. It's probably been over 2 years. We tried tent fumigation and it didn't work. Maybe they use a different kind of gas in Hawaii but it didn't work for us. So I wouldn't make a blanket statement that tenting will kill everything. It's expensive too. They seem to get more active after vacuuming the carpet. Even vapor steam hasn't worked. Ultraviolet light wands helped but I'm not sure if they just chased them deeper into the mattress or carpet or if it actually killed them. Anyway, we used it a lot and the wands burned out.
I was hoping the Thermapure was the answer but I guess not.

interesting

Okay, I see a lot of people have been living with this scourge for several yeas now. I have been battling them for over 3 years now - on and off - and they become really active in the springtime. My husband does not get bit and because these mites are so small - he thinks I am delusional. I AM NOT! My daughter is starting to get bit - and I have been trying to fight this problem on my own - without any support or help from my husband. IT IS HARD - I AM SO TIRED, but I CANNOT GIVE UP! I have been vacuuming like crazy, spraying windex mixed with borax, and then alternating with mixture of water and dawn dishwashing detergent (the surfactants break down the mites' exoskeltons), and also use menthol (on vicks vaporizer) because the mites hate menthol......I have felt less bites and the creepy crawlies but if you let up, they come back with a vengeance. aSoem days are good and some are bad...I do not know up to when I can keep up...tired both physically and mentally. How can we get the CDC or the County Health Authorities to help with this problem..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......how can we not have one like that here in the USA? it is totally unacceptable but it looks like we have hundreds, maybe thousands of people suffering from the same plight - just silently suffering. WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT? THERES GOT TO BE SOME HELP OR AN OFFICIAL ADVISE FROM THE CDC OR HEALTH AUTHORITIES. Please respond if you have some information because if we can group together - there is strength in numebrs rather than trying to fight it on your own. Thanks and hope we can get rid of this scourge - this is hell on earth! And anyone who has suffered and has been bit, will totally agree with me. We do not deserve this suffering and we need to do something about it

Hello to all and God bless because I also know that these bird mites are truly demons from the depths of Hell! Our plight started last May (2009) when swarms of bird mites came through the window air conditioner vents in my bedroom. There had been a bird crying on the outside ledge of the air conditioner for a month or so. I had no idea of this danger. One day I turned the air conditioner on for just a few minutes and I saw a black swarming wall of what I was to later discover were bird mites. I had a friend come over immediately and remove a nest that was on the outside ledge. The mites crawled all over his arms and in his hair, but later he was able to have no ill effects. We, on the other hand were not so lucky. Once we realized that these mini spots were bugs, we looked closer in my room. everything was literally covered with blackish looking dots! Even my knick knacks were black from the complete coverings of the bug's bodies. To make the story short, we had to move. We spent nearly 10,000.00. We stayed in different motels at least every few nights for 2 months. We got rid of nearly everything! Brand new mattresses, couch, all kinds of things went to the trash. The bugs even invaded our unopened kleenex boxes. Oh and to be sure... we did isolate thousands in a jar. they were taken to a major hospital center where they were identified as bird mites. At first there was discrepencies in whether they were lice or mites, but a very famous university physician identified them by species. After several months, we moved into a new apartment. We were so careful! All symptoms were gone. Now just a week ago, a bird made her family home in our drop ceiling. It got in through a broken bathroom vent. We have seen a few mites/ lice in the area of our living room below where the nest was. Please pray for us as I have read your stories. I know none of you are talking crazy. This plight is a Hell on earth. My daughter and I also became very sick last year. We too coughed up bird mites, had them in our stool and on our toilet paper. We used saline spray regularly in our noses. Feel free to email me with any positive solutions. I do not need more horror stories! BANGLEBEE@yahoo.com

For those of you with dogs to be treated, use the blue Dawn dishwashing liquid. Wet the dog and apply dishwashing liquid to dog and lather up good from nose to tip of tail. Also make sure you do inside of ears. Leave on AT LEAST five minutes...rinse thoroughly. Also kills fleas and ticks.

Today I've used foggers in every room including basement and attic....Has anyone had luck with using the foggers? After my daughter complained something was biting her during the night, I've concluded we might have a bird mite problem. Had husband get rid of bird's nest outside attached to house and sprinkled Seven dust everywhere.

Well, it seems I have "caught" this from my brother. He has apparently been infested with these things for at least a couple of years & have felt it mildly before but never had an infestation & certainly I had no idea the problem could become so severe. I ended up with this from simply breathing in some of his exhaled breath so I know this can live inside a person. I am still battling this after 3 months but have been able, through vast internet research, to find inexpensive products that give great relief. First, internally, I have found Kroeger Herb Wormwood Combination helps with the internal problem some & will kill any other "normal" parasites reducing the parasitic burden on your body. Externally, when you put your fresh washed sheets & pillowcase on your bed at night, lay several Bounce dryer sheets on the mattress before putting the sheet on & also stick a couple under your pillowcase on the topside of the pillow. (Buy a new pillow & leave it in the plastic) Breathing the vapor from the Bounce sheets also helps with the lung/throat feeling. You should be able to sleep sound & wake feeling much better(until you stir into them again after getting up)I unfortunately do not have a clothes dryer hookup where I live so I've been baking clothes in the oven on about 150 before wearing them but would recommend drying all clothes on high heat for at least 40 to 60 minutes with a couple of Bounce sheets & then putting them straight into plastic bags hot from the dryer. Keep your dirty clothes sealed in plastic bags until washing as well. After showering, use Arrid Extra Dry spray antiperspirant all over the body. I have very few bites & really only feel them on my face and hands/forearms mostly so I sometimes only give a light dusting to those areas in addition to the usual under arms application. Gold Bond powder also helps keep them away. It seems that the Arrid kills them as I have had very good luck spraying it on objects, upholstered furniture, bedding & into containers & later not feeling them get on me from having contact with those things. It does leave a powdery residue but if anyone is going through what I have been I'm sure you won't care about this. Windex also seems to instantly kill them so I use that as a cleaning solution for everything. I used Raid Max Deep Penetrating Foggers in home & vehicle & those seemed to work well until the next egg hatching cycle so It will need to be done again & again, probably once a week but I have read they can become immune to this. A new find I am about to try that I have read very good things about is enzyme cleaner. Enzyme cleaner destroys the exoskeletons of ALL insects/arachnids & they don't become immune because it acts on their own enzyme based molting cycle. The enzyme then feeds upon proteins & is said to completely kill them. I bought a small bottle to try & when sprayed on my hand & rubbed on my face seemed to stop all sensations. My next plan?....to buy a fogger machine(I found one online for only $57) & fill it with enzyme cleaner & fog the entire place and vehicle with it once a week. I have high hopes for this. I will let you know how it goes. The enzyme cleaner has the added bonus of killing bacteria, viruses & molds. My suffering was immense until I began doing all of the above things with the mentioned products. Just breathing them in would make me extremely tired & foggy minded & cause blurred vision. Now, the problem isn't gone yet but my life is SO much better now! nearly normal at times. To everyone out there with this. I know the HELL of this even though it's only gone on for a scant few months for me but please try what I've mentioned & you should get a great deal of your life back until a total elimination can hopefully be achieved...OH, one more thing, buy a good bentonite clay such as LL's & soak in the tub with it every few days. This is a detox treatment for removing metals & such from the body that works via positive/negative charges & I happened to discover that this is great for getting them off & out of your skin. Best of luck to all & stay positive.

Additional: Make sure when you use a commercial insect fogger such as the Raid I mentioned above, that it contains cypermethrin & not simply permethrin as I have read the permethrin is ineffective. Also, if you get the Kroeger herb wormwood supplement to take it on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes before eating instead of just before eating. This seems to greatly increase it's effectiveness. If you are in for the evening, eat a clove of fresh, uncooked garlic with your last evening meal. This helps alot with the internal symptoms, helps repel them in the night & the garlic odor should be gone in about 10 hours if you brush & floss before going to bed. Since we do know that enough heat kills them, in the summer, park your vehicle in the sun if possible with the windows rolled up. I still think there has to to be an easy answer to this. Perhaps it will be fogging with the enzyme cleaner? I don't want to have to get rid of my keepsakes & books I have had for many years. I wouldn't mind new furniture & bed perhaps though. If it comes to it I can thoroughly vacuum my books & clean other things & seal them in plastic containers for a year or more until they finally die off from not having a host. I suppose it might not be a bad idea to store everything in plastic containers. I do know I'm going to rip up the nasty old carpet in this room as this room still seems to be the worst in the place & I'm sure it's because of the very old carpet. I do actually have one room in the place that's unaffected because it's been closed off. If I go in there after a shower, I don't feel anything. Again, I'll let everyone know how the enzyme cleaner fogging works out.

We use an enzyme from Natural Ginesis. (http://naturalginesis.com/info_bedbugs.html). 800-807-9350.

this is an evil plague from hell

SORRY BUT EXTERMINATOR DO NOT NOTHING ABOUT IT. I GOT TERMINEX THEY DID NOT HAVE A CLUE OF IT. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYBODY WITH THIS NIGHTMARE.

Does anyone know if bird mites can travel with you? I recently visited family in Washington State for a few days, and now they are experiencing biting/crawling/scratching sensations. Could they have traveled on my body or through belongings brought up there, or by even using their furniture/shower?

Dear Scared;
My opinion & experience would say definitely yes. They infest clothing, your skin, your vehicle & it is my strong opinion that they can even get into your lungs & breathing an affected person's exhale which is how my whole nightmre started...unless of course this actually ISN'T bird mites but something other.
Read my posts above though for things that have helped me tremendously. I have also just begun taking colloidal silver...a good one that doesn't turn the skin blue over time.. & that seems to be helping my internal resistance. My problem seems to be diminishing recently. It's still with me but I have noticed as summer approaches here in Florida, the heat also seems to be of aid. I park my vehicle in direct sunlight with the windows up & on these days in the upper 90s it must get over 120 degrees inside & it seems it's gone when I get in. I plan to do spend a few days away soon & let my home incubate similarly & see if it helps further.

This is very scary.We noticeed our bird mites a couple days ago in my sons room when we stopped up a hole in his window.Later when I relized the many little bugs on everything and my daughter from the next room was complaining she might have head lice we figured it out and ripped open the wall to get to the nest.Since then I have been cleaning spraying and powdering everything with tons more to go.I seem to be the only one really bothered with the ichiness and I'm 7 months pregnant.God help all of us suffering with this.

We got ours identified as D. gallinae. Almost gone, here's how:
1. Moved out, got all new stuff, all mite unfriendly (metal chairs and tables, etc.). No carpeting!!
2. Replaced the car with a Honda Element: rubber floors, no carpeting, easily washable seats
3. Clean the living #@%$ out of everything all the time.
4. Left the new mattresses in the heavy plastic they came in
5. Swim 4x a week in a chlorinated pool
6. Use essential oils (eucalyptus, peppermint, red thyme, sweet orange) in massage oil on skin, except it makes feet too slippery so use essential oils in witchazel. Good article by Kim.
7. Dehumidifiers going 24/7 in every room and in office at work
8. For a while I rubbed chopped garlic all over my skin every night but was not very popular.
NOTE: Read the 2009 book by Olivier Sparagano on Control of Poultry Mites. They live on human blood just fine, thank you very much.
We can get free. It takes a lot of work and money. Knowledge is key -- read the book.
All the best to all of us.

Marilyn i would love to see the pictures of your bites...i've been thinking my bites are everything from bed bugs to spiders to mosquitos, but just realized that the problem rarely happens any time but in the late spring and then it usually dies down enough that i don't have so many bites to notice it.

Trying to compare bug bites is a waste of time. Everyone reacts differently and it is impossible to tell the type of insect from the bite reaction.

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 appreciate all the suggestions - am fighting the same battle due to keeping a few chickens in the yard. (Now gone!)

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

Re my e-mail, I should have said "The chickens are gone" the mites are almost gone, PTL.

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