Pest Control Austin TX: Austin Rodent Control Could Be the Answer

Mites Might Make Ya Itch

Mites are teeny, tiny arthropods related to ticks. Most mites are nothing to worry about for us. They feed on insects, decaying plant material, or stored products. The ones you need to worry about are blood feeders. These species are parasitic on birds and mammals. These are the ones we need to talk about.

Just recently, here at the Bug Master, we have come across an interesting and mysterious case. The homeowners and their kids became pest control Austin customers because they were experiencing itching and rashes. The symptoms wouldn’t go away and were even getting worse as the winter season approached. During an inspection we found little bitty bugs here and there. They were mites and were popping up throughout the home. After establishing that the home was heavily infested with the mites, we need to work towards a solution. In this case the solution would include rodent control Austin style.

The mites are coming from somewhere, but where? As an Austin pest control company they called us to figure it out. This question comes down to the species of mite. There are several types of mites that will cause skin dermatitis (itching skin caused by bites) in humans. The first one to consider is the tropical rat mite, and don’t let the name fool you, they are found all over central Texas so any pest control Austin TX company will be familiar with them and know that rodent control Austin will be needed to solve the issue. The tropical rat mite is probably the most common species we see, especially this time of year as the cool weather pushes rats to seek shelter inside your attic. Rodent activity in the attic is the source and will need Austin rodent control to eliminate the host, then you can treat for the mites. There is also the tropical fowl mite. This is also common, but more of a summer thing when fowl is most active around your home. There is also a house mouse mite. I am told this is also pretty common around central Texas. I have to admit that I’m not too familiar with this one, but the basic concept is the same and any Austin pest control company should be able to address this species. These mites are all super small, about the size of a period at the end of a sentence. Try and catch the bugs that are bugging you to show to an Austin pest control technician during an inspection. The inspector needs to identify a pest in order to treat.

Armed with this information, your pest control Austin Company needs to find the source or host of the mites found in the home. We need to inspect for rats, birds, or mice around the home or in the attic and crawl space. To eliminate the mites you have to eliminate the host through rodent control Austin customers don’t always want to hear that, but it’s the truth. In this case we found that the home was heavily infested with roof rats. Austin rodent control was need because the homeowners were having increased activity with the mites as the weather got cooler because the rodent activity was drastically increasing in their attic space. The mites were working their way through the wall voids and finding their way inside.

So now we know what it is, but you can’t just treat for mites and be done with it. You have to address the rat infestation or the mite infestation will come back in a matter of weeks. So, to treat the mites, you need to treat the rat population, and then treat the mites. At that point you can seal off the home to prevent rodents from entering the structure again. Then, finish it off with a follow up trip to double check the mites are gone and possibly reapply product if needed.

Just to be clear, we could have found a bird nest in the attic (listen for chirping in the attic and look around the exterior awnings), mice in the home, or even gerbils and hamsters could be a host. During an inspection your pest control Austin company should keep all these elements in mind and ask questions. One of the answers will shed some light and lead you to a source.

If you are getting bug bites and you don’t know where they are coming from call any pest control Austin TX company and ask for an inspection. Inspections should always be and will help to diagnose your problem.