Mites

[Franky]

Mites, together with ticks, belong to the subclass Acarina (also known as Acari) and the class Arachnida. Mites are among the most diverse and successful of all the invertebrate groups. They have exploited an incredible array of habitats, and because of their small size (some are microscopic) most go totally unnoticed. Many live freely in the soil or water, but there are also a large number of species that live as parasites on plants or animals and even some that feed on mold.

Some of the plant pests include the so called spider mites (family Tetranychidae), thread-footed mites (family Tarsonemidae), and the gall mites (family Eriophyidae). Among the species that attack animals are members of the Sarcoptic Mange mites (family Sarcoptidae), which burrow under the skin. Demodex mites (family Demodicoidea) are parasites that live in or near the hair follicles of mammals, including humans. Perhaps the best-known mite, though, is the house dust mite (family Pyroglyphidae).

Insects may also have parasitic mites. Examples are Varroa destructor which attaches to the body of the honeybee, and Acarapis woodi, which lives in the tracheae of honeybees. There are hundreds of species of mites associated with other bee species, and most are poorly described and understood. Some are thought to be parasites, while others beneficial symbionts.

There are over 45,000 described species of mites[1]. Scientists believe that we have only found 5% of the total diversity of mites. Mites have existed for around 400 million years.

The scientific discipline devoted to the study of ticks and mites is called acarology.

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[michelle]

Does anyone know of a mite you cannot see until it uses your material and then visually covers an article of clothing. I have black sweat pants that I washed and were cover with white everywhere. So I soaked in eco-vie for 1/2 hour now I know that was not long enough. The white went away I thought they were clean. I then put in washer soaked another 1/2 hour. I soaked and washed these sweats with a green flannel sheet. I now have black sweats that are covered in green flannel material. I have tried to use tape to get off and it is impossible. I had a few other things in washer and nothing else has green lint on it. I would appreciate any information on this subject.
Michelle

[michelle]

Does anyone know of a mite you cannot see until it uses your material and then visually covers an article of clothing. I have black sweat pants that I washed and were cover with white everywhere. So I soaked in eco-vie for 1/2 hour now I know that was not long enough. The white went away I thought they were clean. I then put in washer soaked another 1/2 hour. I soaked and washed these sweats with a green flannel sheet. I now have black sweats that are covered in green flannel material. I have tried to use tape to get off and it is impossible. I had a few other things in washer and nothing else has green lint on it. I would appreciate any information on this subject.
Michelle

[beverlybdmd]

OOOoooo Michelle, I call that one a Morgie!! I haven't heard of anything ELSE but our little fiber- friends who can do that trick. Think about throwing out the sweat pants, unless they are family heirlooms or worth serious money, or absolutely irreplaceable.

You have already started with a pretty reasonable treatment, and they are BADLY infested--they will infest everything they touch and get washed with, and you will need to spend countless hours and numbers of washes and soaks JUST to get them to the point were they are only MILDLY infested--They will re-infest everytime YOU wear them, by the end of the day...

I have been there and done that--it wasn't worth it. I ended up FINALLY throwing out the original item, and THEN having to de-contaminate everything that had been washed with it the last several cycles, AND had also to keep picking up bits of that article's lint out of the carpet, my clothes, my hair, my skin, for the next six months...Mine was a pink woven cotton afghan throw blanket that had picked up all these dark green fibers from a small decorative patterned wool rug it had been lying on in my daughter's room...Gad, what a nightmare those PINK & GREEN fuzz balls became to me!! That was what made me most suspicious that whatever fibers are involved with this disease, they were ALL borrowed from different places in the environment, and that the colors are related to the actual sources of the fibers, before the fiber is altered by the parasites. Those were just SUCH distinctive colors!
LOL! Typical little girl room colors... attack of the PINK AND GREEN FUZZIES !!! YIKES!!!

[beverlybdmd]

OOOoooo Michelle, I call that one a Morgie!! I haven't heard of anything ELSE but our little fiber- friends who can do that trick. Think about throwing out the sweat pants, unless they are family heirlooms or worth serious money, or absolutely irreplaceable.

You have already started with a pretty reasonable treatment, and they are BADLY infested--they will infest everything they touch and get washed with, and you will need to spend countless hours and numbers of washes and soaks JUST to get them to the point were they are only MILDLY infested--They will re-infest everytime YOU wear them, by the end of the day...

I have been there and done that--it wasn't worth it. I ended up FINALLY throwing out the original item, and THEN having to de-contaminate everything that had been washed with it the last several cycles, AND had also to keep picking up bits of that article's lint out of the carpet, my clothes, my hair, my skin, for the next six months...Mine was a pink woven cotton afghan throw blanket that had picked up all these dark green fibers from a small decorative patterned wool rug it had been lying on in my daughter's room...Gad, what a nightmare those PINK & GREEN fuzz balls became to me!! That was what made me most suspicious that whatever fibers are involved with this disease, they were ALL borrowed from different places in the environment, and that the colors are related to the actual sources of the fibers, before the fiber is altered by the parasites. Those were just SUCH distinctive colors!
LOL! Typical little girl room colors... attack of the PINK AND GREEN FUZZIES !!! YIKES!!!

[michelle]

Beverly these are my husbands sweat pants and he has no symptoms. They have been washed 3 times and they pickup what ever material they are washed with. They did not do this in the past. I have tried to save them for wearing they are LL bean. I have pullover from LL bean that is orange and has brown things of fuzz all over soaked for two days they feel like little grains of sand. I think the bug likes the thick plush bean clothing which is not cheap and is comfortable but I could never be comfortable in again. In testing this material or looking at it under a microscope is there a chance of seeing anything identifiable or is it going to look like lint? Regarding husband, he did go to the dermatologist last week he does effedex treatment on skin cancer on face. The doctor said he had unusual black sore on nose he tried to dig it out. It would not come out and doc told him to do cancer treatment on it.

[michelle]

Beverly these are my husbands sweat pants and he has no symptoms. They have been washed 3 times and they pickup what ever material they are washed with. They did not do this in the past. I have tried to save them for wearing they are LL bean. I have pullover from LL bean that is orange and has brown things of fuzz all over soaked for two days they feel like little grains of sand. I think the bug likes the thick plush bean clothing which is not cheap and is comfortable but I could never be comfortable in again. In testing this material or looking at it under a microscope is there a chance of seeing anything identifiable or is it going to look like lint? Regarding husband, he did go to the dermatologist last week he does effedex treatment on skin cancer on face. The doctor said he had unusual black sore on nose he tried to dig it out. It would not come out and doc told him to do cancer treatment on it.

[beverlybdmd]

It depends on what you think of some of the fibers that you see on the internet. If you want to see it look like some thing, get it "energized" by holding onto it really tightly in your hand for e few minutes before putting it under the scope--that make it "come alive" and stand up and take notice of the world! (makes it hungry FOR YOU.)

[beverlybdmd]

It depends on what you think of some of the fibers that you see on the internet. If you want to see it look like some thing, get it "energized" by holding onto it really tightly in your hand for e few minutes before putting it under the scope--that make it "come alive" and stand up and take notice of the world! (makes it hungry FOR YOU.)

[browncircles]

Throw them away. Throw them away now.

I did hear that you can try that copper sulfate swimming pool algae remover (just a tad) in the wash to soak. I haven't tried it yet.