Pest Brief: Clover Mites 101
By Robert (Bob) Batman

Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Acari
Family: Tetranychidae
genus/species: Bryobia praetiosa (Koch)

Morphosis: Gradual with 1 to 3 nymphal stages (Parthenogenetic: no males)

HEY. THOSE LITTLE RED SPOTS ARE MOVING!

Clover mites have graduated from occasional invader to serious pest in our operational area. In early spring and fall these very small (smaller than a pin head) red color mites enter buildings in great numbers. We are not talking 10 or 50 mites infesting a building, the numbers are in the thousands, sometimes several hundred thousand. I've see so many of these on apple trees, the branches appear to be reddish. They can stain the surface of light color objects including clothing, especially when you sit on a surface where they are present. If you try to rub them off a wall, you may stain the paint or wallpaper.

Clover mites thrive in well managed, heavily fertilized lawns, and the areas where soil, grass, or mulch contact the exterior foundation are ideal egg laying zones. In late winter, early spring, or fall, when the sun comes out and warms things up (over 50 degrees F), you may have a few thousand unwanted little red visitors. This situation could repeat every time you get similar conditions during late winter, early spring and in the fall. These heat seekers love the warm sides of a building where the sun heats things up; look for them on east (where the sun hits) from mid to late morning and on the west and southwest sides of a building from late morning through late afternoon. Once they reach the exterior of the building, they have absolutely no trouble getting inside the inner wall and/or living quarters areas.

You would be well advised to call a professional pest control operator to handle this pest. Following a professional pest control service for this pest, you may want to very carefully vacuum the dead clover mites off the walls, window sills, counter tops, furniture, bedding, hard flooring, and out of the carpeting.

If you live in the Greater Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas) Metropolitan Area, call Best at (816) 765-8844 or (913) 671-8844.