Dust Mites.

Dust mites grow to about one third of a millimetre in length, are globular in shape and are translucent making them virtually invisible to the human eye. They have neither eyes nor antennae but do have eight legs and their bodies are covered by a tough cuticle.

Dust mites live for approximately three to four months with mating taking place once or twice during adult life. The female can lay up to sixty cream coloured eggs with the development period from egg to adult being dependant on both the temperature and humidity of the immediate surroundings.

The mite will not bite; it is a scavenger feeding on skin scales, fungal spores and bacteria and strangely, although the mite consists of up to 80% water, it does not drink in a conventional manner. A small gland leading to the mites' mouth via a shallow groove produces a salty solution which absorbs water from the air and trickles it into the mouth of the mite. The ideal conditions for dust mites are an environment with a relative humidity in excess of 60% and a temperature range of between 20 and 30 degrees centigrade.

Modern homes that are double glazed and centrally heated provide the perfect micro-climate for house dust mites, and with a steady supply of shed skin it's no wonder that a mattress might contain in excess of two million mites.

In its lifetime a mite produces about two thousand droppings. These droppings contain extremely powerful enzymes, (which are designed to break down scraps of food) which may also break down the protective lining of the lungs or nasal passages of atopic people causing hypersensitive reactions such as asthma, hay fever or dermatitis.

Clicking on the TV set above will play a short clip from the Oprah Winfrey show demonstrating the activity of dust mites in the household.
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