They feed on blood, can hardly be seen with the naked eye and extremely stubborn when it comes to catch their prey. Like vampires, they come out of the night and fall silently forth over their sleeping victims. During the day the parasites hide in nesting boxes, small cracks in wood, joints and grooves.

Fanciers, breeders and bird lovers hate and fear them alike: The red mite (scientific name Dermanyssus gallinae) Comes in almost every portfolio before and does not only for birds but also mammals and humans is a serious nuisance. Up to 1 millimeter arachnids (insects have six legs, spiders eight) are among the ectoparasites, because they in Unlike internal parasites such as Worms and coccidia, live on and not in the body of their host.

Temperature plays a crucial role in the development phases

Rising temperatures in combination with increased humidity to ensure that the blood suckers multiply rapidly and swell as a repulsive swirling mass of corners, crevices, cracks and crevices.

Männchen werden ca. 0,65 mm groß, Weibchen ca. 0,75 mm. Männchen sind weißlich bis grau gefärbt, Weibchen weisen nach einer Blutmahlzeit die namensgebende rote Färbung auf. Die Rote Vogelmilbe sucht ihren Wirt alle zwei bis drei Tage auf und saugt dann bis zu einer Stunde das Blut ihres Wirtes. Ausgewachsene Weibchen legen nach so einer Blutmahlzeit bis zu zwei Dutzend Eier, aus denen sechsbeinige Larven schlüpfen. Liegen die Temperaturen zwischen 9° und 15° Grad, dauert es fünf Tage, bis sich die Larven der Roten Vogelmilbe entwickeln. Bei Temperaturen um 20°C und mehr dauert es nur noch zwei Tage. Aus den Larven, die selbst keine Nahrung aufnehmen, entwickeln sich innerhalb von ein bis zwei Tagen sogenannte Nymphen: Ein Entwicklungsstadium, indem das Tierchen schon aussieht wie eine Milbe aber noch nicht geschlechtsreif ist. Diese Nymphen suchen sich bereits ein Opfer für ihre erste Blutmahlzeit. Anschließend häuten sie sich und werden zu Nymphen zweiten Grades. Ausgewachsen und damit geschlechtsreif sind sie nach einer weiteren Blutmahlzeit samt Häutung. Auf diese Weise kann die Entwicklung vom Ei bis zur nächsten „Generation Ei“ unter optimalen Bedingungen innerhalb von sieben Tagen abgeschlossen sein.

In normal metabolic and proliferative activity, the life of an adult red mite is estimated at about eight weeks. At low temperatures and a sufficiently high humidity periods of starvation can be survived by over 30 weeks.

Die Nordische Vogelmilbe

The Nordic (black) Mite (scientific name Ornithonyssus sylvarium) Has gained a reputation as a significant poultry pest, especially in the United States. In contrast to the red mite, which "only" by the hour, so temporary, affects their host animals, the Nordic mite is one of the stationary ectoparasites. That is, they lived throughout their life and reproduction cycle on the host animal.

The Nordic mite lays its eggs in large quantities at the base of the feathers. The stages of development from egg to egg laying again be traversed in five to 12 days. Female mites take several blood meals before each oviposition. Away from their host the Nordic mite can survive about a week.

Schadwirkung der Vogelmilben

The red mite feeds on the blood of wild, songbirds, decorative, and commercial poultry. Especially laying hens - probably favored by the nature of their attitude - particularly affected.

Bei Nahrungsmangel befällt die Rote Vogelmilbe auch Menschen und andere Säugetiere. Allerdings konnte ein erfolgreiches, für die Vermehrung nötiges Einnehmen einer Blutmahlzeit bei Säugetieren, bisher in Experimenten nicht nachgewiesen werden. Wahrscheinlich aufgrund der Unterschiede in der Beschaffenheit zwischen der Haut von Vögeln und von Säugern. Die Rote Vogelmilbe bohrt sich nicht wie andere Blutsauger in die Haut, sondern hinterlässt Speichel in den oberflächlichen Bisswunden, der zu stark juckenden Pusteln bis hin zu unangenehmen Entzündungen führen kann. Vorhandene Parasiten können problemlos unter der Dusche abgespült werden.

In poultry, the advent of red mite ensures - depending on the severity of the infestation - unrest in the herd. The skin irritations lead to severe scratching and release stress reactions of feather pecking up to adjust the laying activity of. The bite marks often occur inflammation. The immune system of animals is weakened. At worst, the constant blood loss can even be fatal to the infected animals. In addition, there are bird mites suspected of transmitting salmonella.

The first signs of a strong mite infestations are a growing restlessness of the hens, pale combs and the avoidance of nests.

Bekämpfung der Vogelmilben

Chemische Insektizide stellen keine Lösung des Problems dar. Zum einen, weil die Resistenzen zunehmen, zum anderen weil diese Mittel oft äußerst umweltschädlich sind. Hinzu kommt, dass Legehennen lebensmittelliefernde Tiere sind und auch die Eier von Rückständen freigehalten werden müssen.

Means to combat mite that are applied neither on nor in the body of host animals are among the biocides. According to the biocide regulation must not give rise to an unacceptable effect on humans, animals or the environment there. The European Eco-regulation recommends the first step preventive measures, such as cleaning and disinfection of the stable and physically acting use only in the second step, substances such as silicates.

Mitex contains the natural substance of the pyrethrum plant, the highly effective pyrethrin, as well as insecticides with a particularly synergistic effect. This combination has a very long-lasting effect. It reliably destroys flying and crawling insects such as mites (including the red mite), fleas, lice, feather lice, as well as all harmful insects such as flies, mosquitoes and cockroaches. Due to the special improved combination of active ingredients in Mitex In addition to a very strong knockdown effect (paralysis), a quick kill effect (killing) of the vermin is achieved. Despite this, it is gentle as it has low toxicity to warm-blooded animals.

We recommend wearing a face mask during use to prevent even the smallest irritation.

In addition to the red mite is Mitex also against the Nordic mite and many other creeping insects effective. Even insects that are resistant to other chemical preparations can be combated in the long term.

Application Notes:

Mitex can be applied directly to perches and stable items, or used to hose down the entire stable. Mix 100ml Mitex with 2 liters of water (in the case of a heavy infestation, e.g. with blood mites, we recommend a solution of 1 part Mitex and 1 part water, the application should be repeated daily for 1 week). Thoroughly spray the entire barn with the ready-to-use solution. Remove animals, as well as feeding troughs and drinking troughs from the stall while the spray is being applied until the product has dried and there is good ventilation! It is particularly important to spray the sleeping places, the perches and all other objects. 2 liters of Mitex ready-to-use solution are sufficient for about 10m². Mitex can be applied undiluted with a brush in corner areas, cracks and perches, resulting in a long-lasting effect. Ensure good ventilation during use!

Active ingredients per 1000ml:

Pyrethrin 750 mg
Tetramethrin 1.900mg
Permethrin 51.000mg
Piperonyl Butoxide 27.500mg