Little Red Bugs Invading DC-Area Homes in the Spring

No one likes having their home invaded by pests, especially pests that can damage belongings.

As we head further into summer in the DC area, little red bugs called clover mites are wreaking havoc on lawns and on the nerves of homeowners.

Is your chewed-up greenery the product of these menacing mites? With several months to go before the weather gets cold enough to push clover mites back into hiding, now is the time for you to fight back, for your lawn, and for your peace of mind.

Clover mites, what are they?

Clover mites are not insects, like flies or cockroaches, clover mites are mites. Mites are defined as minute arachnids.

These minuscule red pests are related to creatures such as scorpions, spiders, and ticks.

Some may ask do clover mites bite? But mites do not bite humans as other arachnids do. Their red coloration has nothing to do with eating the blood of humans, it is simply the color of their bodies. And this color will stain anything these bugs are squished on.

Are clover mites dangerous?

Other than the above-mentioned fact that, if you squish a clover mite it will leave a red stain, these creatures are harmless to humans. However, they can be disturbing if they come into a home in large numbers.

When are clover mites most active?

These red insects are the most active during the spring months when blossoms are blooming, birds are arriving back from the south, and the weather is warming up. They do, however, continue to be a problem through the summer months and well into fall.

What attracts clover mites to homes?

One thing clover mites are attracted to is heavily fertilized lawns. Clover mites feed on grass, plants, weeds, and (you guessed it) clovers.

Like many other pests, they are attracted to moisture. However, they will sometimes try to get away from too much moisture, such as the conditions outside during or after heavy rains. This can bring them into homes.

How do clover mites get into homes?

Clover mites find their way into homes in two ways, accidentally or on purpose.

If these bugs that look like tiny red spiders are hanging out on your walls or foundation, and they happen to crawl into a crack or gap, they are likely to make their way inside.

Or they may be actively trying to escape weather that is too wet, dry, hot, or cold. Some ways they can get inside include:

• Through gaps in your foundation
• Through cracks in your outer walls
• Through areas around pipes or wire conduit that enter into your home
• Any other tiny opening. (Clover mites are about the size of a pinhead)

How to keep clover mites out of your home

While there are steps you can take to try to keep pests from getting into your home, in the case of clover mites, these steps will not be fully effective.

When seeing tiny bugs on a window sill, that would be a good time to start sealing gaps and cracks in your foundation, making sure your screens are in good working order, and putting screens on vents and chimneys may keep pests such as cockroaches and flies out, it will be less effective at keeping these pinhead-sized creatures out.

These tiny arachnids can squeeze in through gaps you might not even be able to see.

Why call in the pros?

Clover mites can damage belongings such as carpets, drapes, furniture, or clothing. And since female clover mites can reproduce quickly, laying up to seventy eggs at a time, the best way to eliminate a clover mite infestation would be to receive help from a professional pest control company.

That's where the pest professionals at American Pest come into play.

If you are dealing with a clover mite infestation, keep in mind that over-the-counter pesticides are often not catered to a specific pest. This decreases their chance of being effective.

Our experts have specific products that will eradicate your clover mite problem in no time at all. And if you would like to be proactive about keeping these tiny red bugs (and a whole host of other household pests) out of your home in the first place, give us a call. Life is just better without nuisance, or dangerous, pests in your home.