Red Mite

 


The red chicken mite is a common external parasite of birds. Although very small it can be seen by the naked eye. Mites feed on blood or feathers, skin or scales of birds. Mites are generally regarded as pests but heavy infestations can result in poor health, reduced performance (egg laying or weight gain) or, in extreme cases death.

The poultry red mite is considered one of the most important ectoparasites affecting egg layers in all types of production systems across the whole of Europe. This species, Dermanyssus gallinae, is an obligate blood feeding mite that attacks the resting hens mainly during the night for a blood feed that typically lasts 1-2 hours. After feeding the mites return to their hiding places in cracks and crevices where they mate and deposit their eggs. As a result of this behaviour daytime inspection may not detect large populations of red mites.

At high infestation levels mites cause increased stress to the birds which leads to reduced egg production, anaemia and death. Mites have been implicated as vectors of several significant diseases of poultry including chicken pox virus, Newcastle virus and fowl typhoid. Poultry mites will bite mammals, including humans, causing painful skin irritation.

The appearance of the red mite is dependent on when they last fed. When recently fed they appear red and this colour goes through black to grey as the time since the last feed increases.

Life Cycle

Red mites only feed on birds in darkness and blood feed for 1-2 hours each night.

Red mites spend most of their life in cracks and crevices and this is where the female mite deposits its eggs.

The eggs of red mite are small (0.4mm x 0.25mm) oval and pearly white. Under warm conditions the eggs hatch in 2-3 days into 6-legged larvae.

Before the first feed the larvae moult into an 8-legged protonymph (usually within 24 hours of hatching).

Protonymphs start to feed on the roosting birds and moult to a deutonymph that continues to feed before moulting into an adult male or female.

Under favourable conditions a mite can complete a life cycle (egg to egg) in 7 days.

Populations can build up very rapidly within poultry houses.

Red mite can survive for up to 8 months without a blood meal and, when hidden within cracks, are very resistant to desiccation.

ULV treatment for the conrol of Red Mite
Controlling Red Mite
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Red Mite

Red Mite Facts

Mites are Arachnids and belong to the order Acari. There are more than 30,000 species. All mites have an unsegmented body and, in the adult stage, 4 pairs of legs. Their mouthparts are adapted for piecing and most are parasitic on either plants or animals. They are of medical and economic importance because several species carry important diseases of plants, livestock and humans.

 

  

Mites transmit or cause Rickettsial pox, Scrub typhus, Mange, Scabies, Dermatitis, Pruritis, Tsutsugamushi disease and other diseases.


 

Red poultry mite attack domestic poultry and can also produce a form of dermatitis in humans.


  

Red mite can survive for up to 8 months between blood feeds.


  
Under ideal conditions the life cycle of the poultry red mite can be completed within 7 days.  
 

 
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