Bird Mites: Pest that cause bug bites in Singapore?

As their name suggests, bird mites are parasitic pests that seek birds as hosts. They have flat reddish oval-shaped bodies and 8 legs while measuring less than 1 millimetre in length. Being so small, they are often very difficult to spot. They are capable of piercing the host’s skin for blood meal and may infest homes through cross infestation and openings.

As bird mites prefer warm conditions, they are most commonly found in air conditioner compressor units, on window ledges and on rooftops. Bird mites typically find their way into your home by travelling on the backs of birds, the above places are usually where birds build their nests in urban areas. As such, if there is a birds’ nest near your home, you may be at risk of bird mites.

No. While bird mites can bite humans, they do not spread diseases through their bites. However, their bites can cause scratching and redness, which can be painful. In some cases, it may develop into a skin allergy or infection. To reduce their symptoms, their bites should be managed immediately with proper medical treatment.

If you own a pet bird, ensure they have clean bedding at all times and ask your veterinarian for product recommendations that can prevent mites.

In addition, avoid contact with outdoor birds as much as you can. If you find a birds' nest near your home, do engage a professional pest control service in Singapore as they can remove the nest safely and effectively.

The most common cause of a bird mite infestation is having a bird nest near your home. If you suspect that your home is suffering from a bird mite infestation, it is best to call a professional pest control company as they can identify them easily and offer expert solutions to get rid of them. In addition, avoid using recycled and second-hand furniture that may be infested with mites. Finally, do check if your body or items have mites latching on when you return from outdoors to avoid cross infestation.

• Most bird mites need blood meal to survive. While they can survive on human blood, it is not enough and they usually die within 3 weeks without a blood meal from a bird.
• Bird mites are originally grey in colour. Their bodies turn red once they begin their feedings.
• They belong to the same family as spiders and ticks.
• Bird mites are often mistaken for bed bugs. One way to differentiate them is to see if they leave fecal droppings. Bed bugs usually leave black spots of fecal droppings while bird mites do not.