House dust mite

Dust mites are very common and very small animals. They eat dust and live in people's homes. They cause allergies. Some people think dust mites are the same as bed bugs, but they are different. Even though dust mites are very small, some people can see them if they look closely enough. They are arachnids, like spiders, scorpions, and ticks.

Characteristics

Diet

Dust mites eat flakes of skin from humans and other animals. They also eat some types of mold.

Threats

Animals that eat dust mites include silverfish and pseudoscorpions.

Where they are found

Dustmites are found around the world, but are more common in places that have more water in their air. In the united states, 84% of beds were found to have dust mites in them.