Clover mites are little red arachnids which exist throughout the United States. They are small – about the size of a poppy seed – and thrive around homes and other warm structures.
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Clover mites began to surface as a residential pest problem in the years following world war II. This is when the great housing boom began to place plants and landscaping close to houses. Though this new look to homes was nice, it introduced environments that several insects, arachnids and other creatures like as well. This lead to them living alongside homes which in turn lead to them finding there way inside. Much of the demand for pest control service is based on the fact that pre-existing conditions around the home are conducive to insect or pest infestations. The clover mite is such a pest.
CLOVER MITE BIOLOGY
Clover mites are plant eaters. They can live on many types of plants, trees, mold or algae. Clover mites are strong and hearty. They will easily endure a cold, long winter and will emerge on the first warm day of January. Clover mites live on or close to the food they like to eat. Once they find a food supply around your home, they will quickly move onto the siding. They like wood such as cedar, pine or pressboard. They will live in all the cracks and crevices such siding provides. It is likely they will find mold and algae on which to feed in these cracks as well. Clover mites are egg layers and usually lay eggs at least once a year. Though they may lay their eggs on plants, they prefer to do so on behind tree bark or house siding. The eggs will hatch in the spring as larva and begin feeding immediately. The larva will pass through several nymphal stages before reaching adulthood. This is true with most mites. In most areas, their is one generation that reaches adulthood a year. However, this generation is usually hundreds if not thousands of mites. Though small, they will utilize every space they can find. If they are allowed to nest on the side of your home a few years without being noticed, you will probably have quite an infestation by the time you find them!
CLOVER MITE PROBLEMS
Clover mites are a problem for several reasons. Since they are able to live in wall voids, under siding and generally out of view, many times their activity will go unnoticed for several years. During this time they will be reproducing and growing the population. This can happen out of sight since they are able to find food in areas where you don’t look on a regular basis. At one point their numbers will be so large they will have to migrate. This migration usually happens in the spring or during a warm spell in the winter. If you have such a migration expect to see thousands and thousands of red specs running around in circles. This migration may start from plants or trees adjacent to your home. It may be originating from the siding and wall voids of your home. This migration will lead to them getting in around window and door frames. The mites are not looking for anything specific but they will be persistent. These migrations generally happen when the nest areas are filled up and they are simply looking for a new place to live. You’ll know you have clover mites because they smear red if you crush one with your finger. This video does a good job of showing what a clover mite looks like close up, what they look like compared to a persons finger and what they look like after they’ve been crushed by that same finger!!
As demonstrated in the above video, The smashed mite will leave a red blotch. But this red is not blood. Clover mites don’t bite, but they will leave a mess. Their red will stain just about anything you smear them on so try not using the crushing method of control. It will prove to be easier to vacuum the active ones or to use a piece of scotch tape with light pressure. These migrations may be the first clue you receive that you have a problem. Rest assured it will continue throughout the spring and then appear to pass as summer sets in. You may have another exodus in the fall, but they probably won’t appear in great numbers until next year. These migrations and their populations will continue to grow unless you implement a pest control program designed to get them where they are living.
Although you may find them randomly around the home, in most cases the migration occurs on one side of a home. It may be on the second level coming from the roof. It may be on the first floor on the southwest side of the home. It may even be only on the outside of the house and even on only one side. If they haven’t gotten inside yet, treatment will be limited to the outside siding. If they have found their way inside, you will need to attack them at both fronts. It is important to understand that the pest control program you set up will not be done one time. It must be set up to be done at least twice, depending on the level of infestation. Clover mites don’t establish themselves overnight and you won’t be able to get rid of them overnight. In the worst scenario, the treatment will be labor intensive. For the outside infestation it will be as simple as spraying the outside foundation.
CLOVER MITE CONTROL
There are three levels of infestation that most clover mite problems follow. If the first level is detected before it reaches the second level, control is easy. If the house has reached the second level, more treatment is needed but you will be able to get control. The third level of infestation involves the most work and greater time to get under control.
CLOVER MITE INFESTATIONS – LEVEL 1
Level one infestations are when clover mites are found around the home. You may be finding them in mulch material like pine straw or wood chips. Any natural mulch decomposes and will create enough food to feed a lot of clover mites. Rock or gravel beds around the home are excellent clover mite beds. The rock tends to hold moisture which in turn allows algae to grow. Clover mites will readily take advantage of this food supply. Fence rows, railroad ties and plants which are contacting or in close proximity of the home will all attract and provide both food and shelter. If you come home one day to thousands of clover mites active in any of the above areas, don’t be surprised. Be thankful they aren’t inside your home at this point. This activity should be controlled immediately. The best method of control is to use a product called BIFEN. It mixes with water and is applied with a PUMP SPRAYER. One gallon will treat up to 800 sq/ft. Be sure to treat all around the home even though you may be finding activity on only one side. Bifen uses an active ingredient which is very effective against mites. Bifen is odorless, easy to mix and works the best. Be sure to treat all flower beds, mulch piles and turf that is suspected of having activity. Bifen will quickly kill what is active and provide a few weeks of residual.
If you have a large area of turf to treat, you should first apply some DELTA GARD GRANULES. These will penetrate pine straw, mulch, thatch and get deep down where the real nest sights are located. Apply them with one of our HAND SPREADERS to insure even distribution and then spray over the top with some the BIFEN listed above. Though you can apply Bifen with a pump sprayer, it is easier to use our hose end sprayer for large jobs. The GILMOUR 20 GALLON HOSE END hooks to your hose and uses the power of your water spicket to spray. This will save a lot of time and mixing effort. Most importantly, it will insure you use enough water to get proper coverage. Pump sprayers just won’t cut it for this type of application. Water – and a lot of it – is best so the Hose End is the sprayer of choice.
CLOVER MITE INFESTATIONS – LEVEL 2
Level two infestations are when the mites have found their way onto the home. If you are seeing thousands of mites crawling on the side of your home a foot or two high, don’t panic. In most cases, this activity can be controlled quickly and effectively.
A timely treatment with the Bifen listed above on the home will stop them from being able to establish themselves. Be sure to spray a 4-6 foot high band around the home in addition to treating as described above for a level one infestation. Be sure to treat well above the height you see them crawling. The liquid treatment on the home should keep them out, but you must attack them in the mulch, plants or other areas they are nesting. If you fail to do this, they will surely find their way inside at some point as the foundation treatment will break down and be ineffective after a month. This is why the Delta Gard Granules is so important to use if you intend on breaking the cycle and keeping them out for good. Treat once a month for two or three months to insure you have them under control.
CLOVER MITE INFESTATIONS – LEVEL 3
Level three infestations are when you are finding mites on the inside of the home. This generally happens when the outside population has gotten so large they are foraging inside as they migrate seeking food. This might happen gradually, but in most cases homeowners come home to a migration in process. If such a migration is found by you or someone else in the home, don’t remove or kill any mites.
To start, step back and watch to see where they are emerging. This information will prove helpful for treatment. If you are seeing them outside, be sure to watch if they are emerging from the siding or from the ground. The two most important things to watch for is how high they are actively nesting and which side or sides of the home they are most active. If they are inside, watch to see if they are coming from the rug, the wall, the ceiling, a window frame, a door way, electric outlets, or other entry point.
Again, this information will prove critical for the best treatment results. By knowing their entrance points you will be able to treat them directly. This will enable you to get results quicker. Controlling level three infestations is more difficult as more treatment methods and material is needed. You will need to follow the guidelines outlined above:
1) Treat plants and/or mulch areas that may be harboring populations with Bifen.
2) If you are finding them throughout the yard, treat the entire area first with the Delta Gard and then with the Bifen as explained above.
3) Spray the side of the home to at least a height above that which the mites are crawling. Use the Bifen for this application.
Since level three infestations mean the mites are living in the siding and/or the walls of the house, the level of nesting can vary dramatically. You could get lucky and only have them in a small section of one side of the exterior of the home. However, this is not likely. In most cases, the clover mites will be very active on at least one side of the structure. This activity is usually on both sides of the home. Although it may only be one level deep, such as under the wood shakes or around a window frame, in most cases they will have gotten to several depths by the time you find them inside. This means you will have to have some patience and persistence when treating. It is important to realize you will not be able to treat one time and be done with it. Most infestations which have reached level three will require treatments every few months for a year or two. Use DFORCE AEROSOL under siding, around windows, in light fixtures, around door frames or any where you saw them emerging. This treatment is both fast acting and easy to do.
However, if you want or need something that will last longer, use DELTAMETHRIN DUST. This material will last 6-12 months – even in wet environments – and does a much better job of breaking the cycle than just the aerosol alone. Apply the dust with a HAND DUSTER. This tool will let you get the dust into wall voids, electric outlets, switchplate covers and just about anywhere the Clover Mites may be hiding. Once you have dusted, mix up some BIFEN and apply it with one of our SPRAYERS to baseboards, carpeting and any flooring where the mites are active. This product is both odorless and safe for children and pets to walk on once it dries. Since these mites are small and can hide in many areas around the home, a blanket type application is sometimes needed. In other words, don’t just treat where you have seen them. Make a point to spray areas which are adjacent to where they were most active. This will insure you get enough coverage of key spots. Level three infestations of clover mites are usually not controlled with one or two applications. In most cases, you will need to treat sporadically throughout the year.
Level 1 and 2 infestations are easy to control following the treatment guidelines listed above. Bifen and Delta Gard are able to control outside infestations and keep them from penetrating your home. Once clover mites have established themselves in the home and reached level three status, you will need to treat outside and inside as well. Dforce aerosol will let you penetrate most any crack or crevice where clover mites like to live; use the Deltamethrin Dust for longer protection in wall voids where the mites like to nest. Spray Bifen throughout the home in any room which has activity for long term surface residual to kill off migrating mites as they enter living areas. Repeat as necessary to insure they don’t return.
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Comments on CLOVER MITE CONTROL
Kay @ 11:03 pm
I believe I have identified my “bugs” as Clover Mites. Level 2 infestation probably because they come in around my vanity in the bathroom and around the mirror on the wall. However, I have a question:
When they are “squished” it is definitely brown (not red). Could this be another species?
Tech Support @ 8:29 pm
Sorry for not replying sooner but our site went down and for some reason your inquiry was logged as “spam”. As for what pest you have? I’m sticking with some species of clover mites. You see, there are many variations of this pest and some are in fact brown. The real key is how they move. If you see them moving in a circular fashion, quickly, with no real path or specific direction, they’re most likely some species of clover mite. And yes, some can be red but many are brown as you describe.
For now I’d start treating with the Bifen and Deltaguard Granules. If in fact they haven’t gotten into the home yet, this will both control them and keep them out.
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
DeltaGard: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/delta-guard-20-lb
Maryann @ 1:24 pm
Are these clover mites dangerous to cats?
Tech Support @ 1:30 pm
In general they’re not a threat to people or animals. But if you are sitting or walking over areas where this mite is active and some get on your skin or a pets skin, they can cause an allergic reaction that may need some type of skin treatment. I’ve never heard of this being serious but over the years have seen the rash and know the people who have had the reaction so it’s not “hear say”. Like most any insect, if enough of them get “on you”, they can cause issues. So if your cat is active in areas with lots of clover mites, something could happen if they have the allergy.
Amy @ 4:33 pm
I think I may have clover mites. I’ve found them in the kitchen on the countertop and backsplash. But, I never see more than 6 – 10 of them at a time. So, it doesn’t seem like a major infestation. Does this mean that maybe it isn’t clover mites? Because from what I’ve read above, by the time they actually make it inside a house there should be a lot of them. Thanks for your time, help and information.
Tech Support @ 7:35 pm
Actually, if you’re seeing 1-2 a day, you’ve got a problem. In most cases, what you’re seeing represents a very small % of what has made it’s way inside. At this point I advise you do a good outside treatment as well as some inside treating because whatever this pest turns out to be, it will only get more and more active until you treat. For now, I recommend the Dforce inside. For the outside, you’ll need to apply some of the Deltagard Granules and spray over the top with some Cyonara RTS.
D-Force: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/d-force-14-oz-aerosol
DeltaGard: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/delta-guard-20-lb
Cyonara RTS: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/cyonara-32-oz-rts
Heather @ 6:40 pm
I have noticed hundreds of tiny pin sized redish brown bugs in all of my window seals even the 2nd story. Have been getting what looks like bites also. Could this be clover mites?
Tech Support @ 7:22 pm
This sounds exactly like them. I suggest you start doing some of the treatments listed in our article. Keep in mind the inside treatments will work but the mites will keep coming back if you don’t treat the outside too.
Heather @ 7:58 pm
@Tech Support:
So they can leave “bites”?
Tech Support @ 8:04 pm
As I stated above, people and pets can have reactions to these mites if you get some on your skin. Now whether it’s due to them biting, stinging or just crawling is unclear and will vary from person to person. That being said, there is no doubt many people do get skin conditions directly related to these mites. Here’s a paraphrase from the comment above:
“In general they’re not a threat to people or animals. But if you are sitting or walking over areas where this mite is active and some get on your skin or a pets skin, they can cause an allergic reaction that may need some type of skin treatment. I’ve never heard of this being serious but over the years have seen the rash and know the people who have had the reaction so it’s not “hear say”. Like most any insect, if enough of them get “on you”, they can cause issues…”
Alan @ 9:47 pm
We have a level 3 infestation. We are finding random mites strolling about our home. We had an exterminator come to spray outside, inside, and in our basement. We also were told to put baby powder around our windows. This seems to be helping as we are seeing dead ones in the powder. How long until we see more permanent results?
Tech Support @ 10:45 pm
No way to tell. Like springtails, what you’re seeing are the migrating masses. So if you don’t get them where them where they’re nesting (the root of the active ones you see), there will be a never ending supply of new mites entering your home indefinitely. What I can say is that if you’re service company is diligent and persistent, making sure to treat in wall voids, the mulch and any place these guys might be living, you can lick them. But what we find commonly happens is that not enough product is applied and that many key spots will be missed during the process. The net result will be less activity followed by flareups that seem to come at the worse possible time. And this pattern can go on for years.
To help prevent this scenario in your home, spend time inspecting the house – especially just outside around the perimeter of the structure – to see if you can locate where they’re most active. Find these spots and their main nest won’t be far away. And if you get their main nest treated well enough, you can reduce their numbers enough to where few if any will forage inside.
Diana @ 1:47 pm
For about a week or so I’ve been seeing these little microscopical bugs, reddish, thought they were baby lady bugs, because I see a lot of lady bugs in our home as well.. Finally I go to our downstairs (basement) spare room, and the widow/window sill has, I would say, hundreds of these things… tried smashing them and they left a red stain, so I vacummed them… Obviously I read this and I know what they are..they seem to be coming from that room and I see a few around my dining nook window. I guess I have a level 3? If so, are these pests going to destroy my house? Or are they harmless? Terminix came tuesday and obviously didn’t see them (useless).. So what should I do? Removing vegetation seems like a large task because our lawn is enormous and all I have is grass anyway, at least around that window downstairs…. I haven’t really inspected the outside yet either.. So do you think this is gonna be an expensive fix? Should I be mortified and worried?
Tech Support @ 5:13 pm
Clover mites won’t cause damage so there is no need to be mortified or worried. That being said, I’ve dealt with many homeowners that have felt this way because they’re not comfortable having the mites crawling around inside their home. Personally I agree and if I had them inside my home, I’d be treating extensively to get rid of them because I know my wife would mortified and worried!
In fact this is why I treat around my home on a regular basis – even when I’m not seeing anything – so that I don’t get any problems. By treating every month or so, insects can’t establish themselves which means I won’t have to contend with inside infestations like you now very much appear to have.
So what should you do? Well, if you want them gone, you should start inside by treating all the cracks and crevices with some Dforce or Phantom aerosol. The Dforce will kill them on contact and is no doubt plenty strong. But it can leave a wet look to hard, shiny surfaces like hardwood floors and painted window sills so the Phantom is better suited for these sensitive inside areas.
D-Force: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/d-force-14-oz-aerosol
Phantom: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz
But the inside treatments alone will only be a “band aid” and not a real fix. To fix the problem, you’ll need to start spraying the outside of the home with the Bifen and applying Deltagard granules to the turf. And you’ll have to do this for a good year before you see long term benefit. Similar (time wise) to what it took for the problem to get this far so too will the treatments meaning the mites won’t be gone overnight. But if you get with the preventive treating like I mentioned, you’ll eventually get their levels low enough to where you won’t be seeing them anymore.
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
DeltaGard: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/delta-guard-20-lb
VIRENDRA PATEL @ 2:14 am
Hi,
I just found today that on the outside wall which is facing sun all day has migration of red bug which look like clover mites as per your description. I also found them inside of the house on the wall with 3 windows. We put some plants over there like rose, tulsi and bamboo. Rose and tulsi are dried up during winter.
Can you tell me if it is the same what I thought? And which level of control should I use?
Thanks,
Virendra
Tech Support @ 6:59 am
No doubt these are clover or spider mites and at this point, you need to treat the outside with the Deltagard Granules first and then spray over the top with the Bifen.
For inside the home where you see them foraging, you’ll need to treat all the cracks and crevices with Dforce aerosol. If you’re lucky, they’re not yet nesting in the wall voids and these treatments will knock them out before they get established.
But next spring or later this year if you continue to find them “coming out” inside the home, you’ll need to dust using the products listed in our article above.
DeltaGard: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/delta-guard-20-lb
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
D-Force: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/d-force-14-oz-aerosol
Cathy @ 3:38 pm
We have a level 3 infestation of clover mites. We also have a 5 month old baby and a golden retriever. Are the sprays and granules safe for the baby and the dog? How often do we need to apply the sprays? The mites are around most of our window sills and are all over our wood overhang and jacuzzi in the backyard. They seem to like the jacuzzi cover; any ideas for treating that? Thank you so much for your help!
Tech Support @ 6:46 am
First and foremost, the treatments recommend in our article are safe for people and pets as long as you follow the guidelines we have detailed in our safety video’s here:
Safety Videos: http://www.bugspray.com/video/safety-videos.html
These videos also appear on every product page, down toward the bottom, so you can get specific guidelines for specific products. It’s mostly common sense like keeping the pets and kids away from the area when you treat and letting the treatment dry before they come back. Remember, these products will be diluted down quite a bit so they will present little to no hazard once applied and dry.
As for the frequency of the treatments; the Delta-Gard Granules should be applied once a month during the warm season for the first year; every 2 months there after. Liquid treatments with Bifen should be done on the exterior of the home as frequently as once a week as long as you’re seeing activity. Now if you treat and you don’t see any for two weeks, you would wait two weeks and then treat. Eventually, when none are returning, you’d retreat once a month.
DeltaGard: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/delta-guard-20-lb
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
As for the jacuzzi and it’s cover; no doubt they’re nesting within the frame that is supporting the tub so all of that will have to be treated with either the Bifen or the Dforce aerosol. I’ve seen where they’re live within the wood cracks and crevices so all of those areas need to be finely treated with the Dforce. The cover is attractive to them because it either collects heat or mold. So for starters, you should clean it down with some Mold Blaster. This will remove the food on which they’re feeding. Next, spray it down with some Mold Block. These two products can be used on the exterior of the home too because if you take away the moss, mildew and mold on which these mites live, you’ll really help in cutting back their population.
Mold Blaster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/mold-blaster-gal
Mold Blocker: http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/moldblock-rtu
Lastly, treat all cracks and crevices you can with the Dforce Aerosol. Once they get inside they’ll start nesting if left alone and to do as they please. If these areas are humid and have moisture problems, wipe down all surfaces with the Mold Blaster as this will help remove any food for the mites to eat.
Denise @ 3:05 pm
I have these red dots in my window sills they are around my all my windows on the first and second level of my house. They are around my garage too. I sprayed bug spray. Should I call Orkin or is it something that we can handle? Do we need to take the plants up from out front of our house. Please help me. I can’t take it; they’re creeping me out. I’m scared because I have young kids that are always in the window. What should I do?
Tech Support @ 6:08 pm
For now I suggest you read our article and after learning about clover mites and how to treat for them you should be able to tell if you want to do the work yourself or hire a service. Remember, hiring a service will be costly. Of course it would be easier but if you’re a “do it your-selfer”, then doing pest control is one of the easiest ways you can save a lot of money.
As for the treatments; based on where you’re seeing them you’d have to treat the window sills with some Phantom and then the outside with the Deltagard and the Bifen. Give us a call if you need further assistance or have questions about any of the products or the treatments involved. Our toll free is 1-800-877-7290.
Phantom: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz
DeltaGard: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/delta-guard-20-lb
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
Angela @ 9:43 am
Came back from out of town to thousands of the clover mites. They are on the walls, the lamps, the furniture, just about everywhere I look. In all rooms of the apt. Called the landlord no call back yet. Any suggestions if they are in my blankets and towells and clothes? I can’t spray everything I own with bug spray!? Help! I only slept like two hours last night.
Tech Support @ 10:06 am
In fact you can spray everything you own with bugspray. You just have to be careful of which one you choose. That being said, this would not be the most efficient way to go. So for now, here’s our suggestion.
First vacuum. These guys can be sucked up without making a blotchy red mess if you have a powerful vacuum. Next, get some Bed Bug Rid. This is a liquid, ready to spray product that came out specifically for roaches and bed bugs. It’s non toxic using diatomaceous earth as it’s active but instead of the usual messy dust form, it’s unique formula has it in a liquid so you can spray most anything. Bedding, couches, sofa’s all can be sprayed with this mixture and we’ve found it to be very effective on clover mites.
Bed Bug Rid: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/liquid/bed-bug-rid-exempt-liquid-insect-killer
You should also get some of the federally exempt Topia Aerosol for all the cracks and crevices around the living spaces. Topia comes with a long straw making it ideal to apply to any crack or void where these mites are entering and/or nesting.
Topia: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/aerosol/topia-exempt-aerosol-17-oz
For now, this will get control of the activity in the apartment. But ultimately you must have the outside sprayed if you want to stop them from entering. Good luck!
Sophia @ 4:04 pm
There are clover mites where I work. Four years ago I saw them crawling around the window sills and on the mail that was dropped through a mail slot onto the floor. (I collect the mail in a box during the spring.) I called an exterminator and they have sprayed the outside monthly April – September but stated that they need to cycle out and couldn’t treat the inside. They did not appear last year, I assume, due to the winter snow. I have seen sprays online for inside, but don’t know exactly which cracks and crevices they reside in as the building has so many. Will they migrate to other locations in the building. Can I take them home with me (i.e. do they live on people)?
Tech Support @ 6:15 pm
When clover mites start migrating around, they’ll get on anything. And once they’re on something that you take home, you can definitely bring some with you. Now do they bite or sting? No. But some people can have allergic reactions to them so in general, you don’t want them on you if you can avoid them. And when you consider how messy they are with their red “smear” blotches it only reinforces the fact that you shouldn’t allow them to live on or in any building where you work or reside.
Now once they start migrating, it’s only a matter of time before they end up on other buildings if these buildings are within the migration range of the main population. So the key is to spray the ground and building sides heavy enough to get any that come out with the goal being to intercept them before the migrate to new buildings.
Additionally, spraying the other buildings in the area can really help. Ultimately if you get their main nest sites, there won’t be any need to spray inside. But if you’re finding them around windows or doorways, spraying with the Dforce into any crack and crevice will definitely help.
D-Force: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/d-force-14-oz-aerosol
So in the end, if the service company you’re using is spraying enough of the area, you should expect to knock them out. Just remember these mites can live really high on any building so be sure and inspect all floors for activity.
Steve @ 10:41 pm
We have recently discovered clover mites on the inside of our window sills. We have been vacuuming up the mites that we find inside. We sprayed the exterior of our home with “ortho-bug-be-gone-max”. Will this kill the clover mites like the Bifen will? Also, how likely is it that the clover mites will escape the vacuum cleaner (it’s a shop-vac)?
Tech Support @ 8:25 am
Most any insecticide can kill any given insect when one is able to directly spray the target pest. The real difference between something you purchase at a home center and the products we sell is in the length of what we call “residual”. This is the time following the treatment where the product applied will continue to work and affect target pests. And when we compare most any common home center product to what the professionals use (the products professionals use are the only products we carry), what we find is that there is really no comparison. Yes, the product you sprayed will kill mites when you first apply it so when that comparison is made, it will be “equal” to the Bifen. But in most cases the mites will be able to thrive on any treated surface just a day later because the residual from the product you applied is not strong enough to last more than a day or two on any treated surface.
Now when we look at the residual from the Bifen what we find is that a treated surface might remain mite free for many weeks. And that means when the mites come back (and they surely will), the Bifen will still be hard at work killing them and helping to keep their numbers in check. But in the end, just spraying the window sills with something as strong as the Bifen won’t solve the problem because if you don’t treat outside with the Deltaguard Granules, the mites will just keep coming inside as their migrate over and over from their prime nest site.
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
DeltaGard: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/delta-guard-20-lb
As for vacuuming; we always recommend using a vacuum which has a bag to contain the rogue mites. Most of the shop vacs I know have a holding container and these containers are not nearly tight enough to contain most insects and certainly not clover mites. No doubt many will die in the dry, dusty environment but since these mites are so messy, once they start migrating out of the shop vac and into the area around where you keep it, you could have a nice little mess needing to be cleaned up as well as a blossoming new nest site if you’re not careful.
Kellie @ 2:31 pm
We have recently noticed a serious clover mite infestation in and around our house. I am so thankful to have found this site. It gives me hope that we can overcome this problem. My only question is about outside treatment. We have only grass around our house. So when we do use the Delta Gard and Bifen around the perimeter, will watering and mowing the grass dull the effectiveness of the product? What are your suggestions?
Tech Support @ 6:32 pm
Clover Mites thrive on plants and many times the original source of the problem is grass clippings, mulch, thatch or just the plant itself. From there they’ll migrate onto and eventually inside the home. So to solve the problem, you need to treat the ground with the Deltagard Granules and spray with the Bifen over the top. You should also spray the foundation good and make sure you spray high enough since these mites will many times crawl up to the second level of any structure.
DeltaGard: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/delta-guard-20-lb
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
Now will normal watering and mowing deter from the treatment? No. In fact, keeping the grass low is good as this decreases new food for the mites to eat. And watering is good because that’s what gets the treatment down into the ground where it’s most needed to kill off the developing mites.
Teresa @ 10:59 pm
I am currently treating the lawn for springtails. We now have clover mites. Will the bifen granules and cyonara work on the clove mites or do I need to use the deltagaurd granules as well?
Tech Support @ 11:05 pm
No need to use the Deltagard as long as you’re applying enough of the Bifen and Cyonara. In other words, it’s imperative that you’re treating an area much larger than just alongside the foundation if you want to get these pests so as long as you’re covering enough of the turf, just the Bifen and Cyonara will be needed.
Bifen Granules: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/bifenthrin-g-25-lb
Cyonara RTS: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/cyonara-32-oz-rts
Kristi @ 12:58 am
We have what I believe is a level 3 infestation. They first appeared in the spring then came back last week. I see them around all our window ceils and patio door and in the kitchen. They are also in the basement but we can not tell where they are coming from there. We found hundreds of them on a sweatshirt in the middle of the basement at the bottom of the stairs on carpet, which in next to our utility room that is not carpeted. Again, because they don’t seem to have a trail like ants, we can’t see a point of entry. We live in North Dakota and it is freezing here so I’m sure (hoping!) they are looking for shelter. With that being said, if they are in the siding, will the cold kill them off? Also, I saw the comment about baby powder and we heard the same with borax soap so we have put borax around all the window ceils and floors under the windows. Have you heard of this working over time? Along with spraying outside and the borax the numbers are way down but after reading all this I guess we may be fighting these for sometime :(
Tech Support @ 8:54 am
Baby powder and borax will not help. No doubt they’ll kill some that move into the living spaces but this is not the crux of the problem but rather a symptom of the problem. And as explained above, the problem is that you have a breeding site which is generating thousands of clover mites. And as their population grows, they’ll need more and more areas to live which will lead to them getting inside and cause more and more to be visible like you’re seeing now.
So based on where you’re seeing them at this time, no doubt they are currently breeding in your turf, flower beds, mulch islands, house siding and wall voids. And I say this because as our article above explains, this pest will normally live outside in the turf, under thatch and basically around most any type of vegetation that can be found around structures. But when their populations growing, they’ll migrate onto structures and from there, inside these very same structures and no doubt that’s what you have going on right now at your home. Now what this means is that if you want them gone from your living space, you must get rid of them in your wall voids, exterior siding and turf. By eliminating them in the locations they’re using for breeding, you’ll pretty much eliminate the chance of any getting inside which ultimately is the goal.
So to accomplish this goal, I suggest you start by getting a good treatment of Deltagard Granules applied around the home.
DeltaGard: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/delta-guard-20-lb
Next, spray over top with Bifen.
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
Next, if your home has vinyl siding, masonite or basically any kind of “layered” siding under which mold and algae can grow and clover mites can nest, you’ll need to dust said areas with Deltamethrin Dust.
Delta Dust: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/deltamethrin-dust
As for the living spaces; dust all exterior wall voids with the same Deltamethrin Dust by drilling small access holes and then puffing the dust into the space using a hand duster. Since you’re finding them on window frames, it means they’re residing in the wall spaces around the windows and these areas must be dusted to eliminate the clover mites and prevent future nests from forming. The good news is that once these areas are dusted, the treatment will last a good 6-12 months so you don’t have to reapply the dust nearly as frequently as you will have to spray and spread granules.
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
Lastly, treat any living spaces where you see them with Phantom Aerosol. This product goes on dry, is odorless and will last a month per treatment making it a good choice for use inside. Treat all cracks and crevices where the mites are no doubt emerging. This will commonly be around window frames, molding, baseboards, pipes, conduits, etc.
Phantom: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz
Now even though it’s cold outside you need to treat the exterior with granules and spray at least once before winter settles in. This will really help protect you all winter long because with clover mites, they’ll get active any day the temps climb up into the 40′s. And if you do a treatment now, it will most likely last well into the winter so that you’ll have a barrier in place working to control any that come out when it warms.
You should also dust under the exterior siding and the inside wall voids where activity is found. As stated above, these applications will last 6-12 months so what you do now will work all winter long and into the spring which will really help by eliminating this space as a nest site.
Lastly, the Phantom can be applied as is needed. Typically treatments will last a few weeks but if you find new activity over treated areas within a week, treat again. Phantom is not quick acting and will take 2-3 days to kill target pests so don’t expect it to work when first sprayed. It has a slow mode of action by design which is why it’s undetectable by insects (hence the name Phantom).
SR @ 7:57 am
Hi – Yesterday I saw a number of red bugs crawling out from beneath my mattress. I have seen 1 or 2 in the past 2 weeks but when I lifted my mattress yesterday, I saw a lot of them underneath along with black moldy substance along the edges of the mattress. But I do not see them anywhere else in the house. Please let me know if these are bed bugs or clover mites.
Tech Support @ 8:11 am
I would say the odds are high these are bed bugs. I say this because you’re seeing them focused in one location and that area is a mattress. Also, young bed bugs will look red and be tiny, close to the size of a clover mite, so the two are easy to confuse with one another.
Now before you do anything, I suggest you read our bed bug control article here:
Bedbug Article: http://www.bugspray.com/article/bedbugs.html
One big thing to understand with bed bugs is that if you have them isolated like you do, treatments can be very effective. But if you move too quickly meaning that if you start pulling the bed apart and randomly cleaning without treating at the same time, the odds of scattering them all over the house will become very real and this will make eradicating them for good difficult.
At this time I suggest you get some of the products listed in our article so you can knock them out before they spread. Give us a call toll free at 1-800-877-7290 if you need further help.
Mitch @ 6:15 pm
It’s November in Minnesota and I have a level 3 infestation. How will the upcoming freezing weather affect treatment you have described in this article?
Tech Support @ 9:12 am
Freezing temperatures tend to prolong or “enhance” most pesticide treatments that are done in cold temperatures. Here’s why.
In general, heat is the leading reason most pesticide formulations don’t last as long as they might. Combine temperatures of 65 or more degrees with a lot of high humidity, and it’s a wonder todays actives can last 30 even 30 days.
But when it gets below 50 degrees, things change. For starters, the relative humidity doesn’t affect the treatment nearly as much but more importantly, the cold literally “ices” the degradation process that breaks down traditional pesticides. The net result is a treatment that might normally last 30 days could very well last 60-90 days. So overall, the cold will enable you to get a longer lasting residual or putting it another way, more “bang” for your buck.
Now lets take a more specific look at the treatments for clover mites.
For the outside applications which should consist of Deltagard granules and Bifen spray, the colder temps will allow this application to last a good 60 or more days. Now keep in mind that the mites will probably be shut down on many of these days too because once it gets too cold, they won’t come out. But when it warms (which will happen from time to time throughout the winter), the treatment will kick into place and offer up some much needed protection for sure. This way they’re not able to find your home and successfully migrate inside which will can happen any time during the winter months.
DeltaGard: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/delta-guard-20-lb
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
The same benefit will be derived from foundation treatments with the Bifen. So this way if you treat your foundation now and 45 days from now there is a warming trend, you’ll have some Bifen in place to help protect the home in case the mites start moving about. And keep in mind that clover mites are one pest that will definitely get active in cold temps. They commonly forage around once temps 45-50 degrees or more so they are quite hardy and more resilient than many other insects. For this reason clover mites are one pest where extra cold weather protection can be a big help.
Lastly, the inside treatments won’t really benefit from cold temps. That means if you treat wall voids and inside cracks and crevices with Dforce Aerosol and/or Deltamethrin Dust, they’ll last like normal. That means wall voids treated with the dust will be protected for at least 3-6 months and living areas treated with Dforce will probably get the standard 30 days of protection from the application.
D-Force: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/d-force-14-oz-aerosol
Delta Dust: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/deltamethrin-dust
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
Matt @ 4:14 pm
My wife and I built a new home (in Iowa) and moved in July of 2011. In the spring of 2012 we noticed mites on the inside of the basement windows on the south and west sides and a few in the upstairs tub directly above one of the basement windows on the south. Again in the fall of 2012 in the same places but not as bad.
Now it’s January of 2013 and on the days it’s above freezing, they’re back. Is it possible the mites made it inside during the construction process and are trying to get out? I haven’t noticed any outside but our cement board siding is painted a dark color and would make it hard to see them. I’m thinking they are penetrating around the basement windows. The windows are large and are not far off the ground. My wife is very (very, very) sensitive to any odors, so any treatment that has odor, especially on the inside, will put me in the doghouse.
Same treatment as a level 3? Cold weather outdoor treatments apply as in the comment above? Is there any odor to the Delta Dust or D-Force? If there is odor associated with them and we treat just the outside, including the foundation, sod, etc., and do it 5 or 6 times a year, will we eventually “catch up” with the ones that are (getting) inside? I know Bifen can be used on the inside and it’s odorless but is it really? She also has a nose like a bloodhound!!
Tech Support @ 4:49 pm
First, it’s important to understand just what’s happening right now with the clover mites. So lets start at the beginning. And this beginning I’m talking about is before the home was even built.
So before the home was constructed, clover mites were no doubt living on the ground where your house now resides. And once the home was constructed and the landscaping took on shape, they were able to re establish themselves like they were before the land was cleared and construction began. And during this “repopulating process”, some got up the homes siding and started nesting in wall voids, under siding, around window frames, etc.
Now once living in these spaces, they’ll forage out to find food and warmth on a daily basis. Typically they’ll forage inside during the spring, fall and winter months which sounds like what you have happening now. But during the summer they’ll probably head out into the open air outside because the temps are warm and there is plenty of food to be found when it’s warm.
Second, the crux of the problem now is that they’re no doubt living in some small voids close to and alongside where you’re seeing them out in the open. It could be the wall void around any given window and it’s probably some spaces under the exterior siding of the home too. What this means is that spraying inside the home out in the open won’t help. But what will help is to right now treat any and all voids where you think they might be nesting.
So to start, I would suggest you target the spaces and voids where they might be hiding and during this process, avoid spraying in open living spaces. This should eliminate the chance of a smell being active inside the home.
Now the two products I’d recommend (both are considered “odorless”) would be the Deltamethrin Dust and the Phantom Aerosol.
Using a Hand Duster, you should be able to direct the dust into small access holes where the clover mites might be living. And if you dust enough of these wall spaces, you could effectively eliminate most if not all nest sites which in turn could resolve the problem by the summer.
Delta Dust: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/deltamethrin-dust
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
Next, I’d consider treating behind any baseboard moldings, window frames, etc. with small amounts of the Phantom. It’s as close as anything can come to being odorless and when directed into spaces should not get out into the air of any room. Remember, small amounts are all that is needed and since “smell” is usually the result of over application, it would be even more important to make sure you don’t over apply any of the products we’re recommending.
Phantom: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz
Now is there a chance your wife mights still smell some and be upset? Absolutely. Smell is a personal sensation so in the end, it’s up to you and her to decide if you want to refrain from treating inside altogether and endure the clover mites or take a chance by treating because you just can’t stand seeing any around.
Which leads to the outside of the home (where any odor will permeate away). Once the temps start to warm this spring, you really need to start spraying the foundation with Bifen and applying some Bifen Granules to the turf, flower beds and mulch areas around the home. This will effectively put in place a barrier that will both kill off any that forage on your structure or in the dirt which in turn, will keep their numbers in check.
Bifen Granules: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/bifenthrin-g-25-lb
Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
And yes, treating the outside some 5-6 times a year when it’s warm could very well resolve the problem because as stated above, the clover mites will be foraging outside during the warm months. And if you have a protective treatment in place for when they’re doing this foraging, you’ll keep them under control in these areas for sure which in turn should reduce and eventually eliminate any that might be living under siding or in wall void and coming out over the treated areas. Good luck!
Shawn @ 10:19 pm
We have found several brown mite looking bugs in the sinks of our bathrooms and thousands outside on our back deck, handrails, everywhere. They are like football shaped, brown, tiny, slow moving and appear to have two antenna. We want them out of the home asap! Please advise. We seem to find the majority in the bathroom sinks and its very hard to find where they are coming from? Also found in the window sills, especially when the window is open, between the glass and the exterior screens.
Tech Support @ 8:10 am
Based on the description you provided, I’d say you have springtails or psocids. Springtails aren’t football shaped but they do appear where you’re seeing all the activity. However, the can move rapidly and “hop” so I’m fairly sure its psocids and not springtails.
Psocids live in cracks and crevices where it’s moist. They can be described as “football” shaped and have two antenna. Also, they love living under window’s where it rests on the window sill when the window is closed. Upon opening the window, they’ll come out and scurry about. They also love decks and sinks so what you’re seeing sure sounds like psocids to me.
The good news is Psocids are a lot easier to control of the two by using the sprays listed in our article here:
Psocids: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1219.html
And if you’re interested in reading up on springtails, that article is here:
Springtails: http://www.bugspray.com/article/springtail.html