grain mites in dubia colony.

[Beetle_Juice]

ok so i noticed that my colony of dubia have got some new occupants - a whole lot of grain mites - not happy about this at all - so what i would like to know is if any of you have dealt with these guys before and how you got rid of them save for destroying everything including the roaches. and secondly, do these guys pose any threat to the animals i usually feed the roaches to??

any help is always appreciated - thanks

 

[scalesandtales]

I'm just curious as to what grain mites are, can you post a pic. Sorry i'm no help

 

[Beetle_Juice]

its a very tiny little white mite - looks like a spec of dust - but if you look really close you will see it moving. i wish i could post a pic - but i dont have a camera with a zoom big enough for you to be able to see anything

 

[scalesandtales]

how do they get into a colony? Are they called grain mites because of their size?

 

[MAJ]

Although more geared towards agricultural infestations, this still has great general info on grain mites:
http://www.ento.psu.edu/Extension/factsheets/flour_mites.htm

When I had my infestation in my superworm colony last year, it was the light brown "mite dust" that I found. It was everywhere.

They could enter you colony via contaminated grain (wheat bran, wheat germ, etc.), or simply from elsewhere within your house. Tough to say-- theyare pretty widespread.

By the time I diagnosed my infestation, I had lost all of my beetles and baby worms. Getting the infestation under control let me salvage my large worms.

I have to assume that you are using a grain substrate (or dried vegetable products, etc.) for you dubias in order to get this kind of infestation.

Control suggestions:
a) Meticulous sanitation of your feeder bins. When I change my bedding, I will bleach the old bins and dry them thoroughly to kill anything that may be getting started. When I moved furniture around the bins, I found mite dust there as well. Vacuum it up and thoroughly sanitize the entire area.
b) Microwave any grain products that you will be using as bedding/substrate. I microwave two pounds of bedding for about three minutes on high to kill anything that may be in there. Obviously, let it cool thoroughly before putting insects into it.
c) Humidity control. Grain mites can't survive below 55% humidity. Keeping the humidity too low can be bad for the feeders (dehydration),not to mention be uncomfortable for people. Find a "happy medium" that keeps both you and your feeders comfortable. I try to keep the house at about 45% humidity so we are comfortable, and to prevent another infestation. If I see any condensation in the bins, I take the lid off for a few days to improve air circulation and get the humidity down. In humid climates, this may be difficult.

So for now-- clean the bins meticulously. Get rid of any grain products for the time being. Use non-grain feed for your dubias for the time being. Finally, make sure the humidity is below 55%.
Take away the environment that the grain mites like, and they will die off.