What is the dust mite?
The house dust mite is a ubiquitous animal belonging to the arthropods, a group that includes such other annoying and noxious animals as ticks, spiders, mosquitoes, flies and fleas. The scientific name, Dermatophagoides species, suggests the lifestyle of the house dust mite: It eats flakes of dead skin and dander that fall from the bodies of humans and other animals. Although you can’t see their microscopic mites, they are present in varying numbers in all homes. They thrive in moist climates and are less plentiful in extremely dry climates. It is not the mite itself that causes trouble for people, but its shed skin and fecal matter. These substances bring misery to millions of allergy sufferers. “The mite’s microscopic feces and cast skins are potent allergens to many people,” says Barb Ogg, an educator with the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster, Neb. “Allergic reactions are similar to a person having hay fever, runny nose and eyes, and frequent sneezing. Some
