House Dust Mite
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
Appearance
- Adult – 0.2 – 0.5mm. A hairy soft cream white body with eight yellow–brown legs.
Lifecycle
- Egg to adult in 10 days (via a larval stage) at normal room temperature.
- An adult female can live for up to two months, laying eggs for the last 30 days of her life.
Habits
- Favours warm moist conditions. Very common in beds, carpets and other soft furnishings.
- Medical conditions that are caused by dust mites include: rhinitis, asthma, and eczema.