Knowledgebase

Is this a clover mite or something similar? #857089

Asked January 07, 2024, 10:21 AM EST

Is this a clover mite? There are numerous around the basement window frame. They are pinhead size or smaller.

Montgomery County Maryland

Expert Response

We agree this looks like a Clover Mite. A transient outbreak of Clover Mites is typical for new lawns and new homes, though they can appear occasionally in established landscapes as well, and the mites are only a nuisance as they do not cause any damage or bother people. (Different mites can be plant pests, but they cause distinct symptoms and do not wander off the plant to infest homes.) Fortunately, Clover Mites live outside and are not a recurring indoor pest. Pesticide treatments are not usually warranted or necessary (and such broad-spectrum products risk harming a variety of other insects or other organisms). In fact, since mites are not insects, many insecticides will have no impact on mites, and most are designed to be ingested by the pest in order to work, and the mites are not feeding on anything in or on the home.

The most practical and immediately-effective action is to try to seal any gaps, cracks, or other access points in the home exterior to keep the mites from getting in. Granted, if in a new home, it should be fairly intact and well-sealed, but mites being very tiny can find their way through pretty small spaces. Check window weather-stripping for breaks (window screening too, but only for larger insects since mites can likely fit through insect screening with no issues) as well as door weather-stripping. The linked page about clover mites provides a little bit more information and tips for discouraging entry that do not involve pesticide.

Miri

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