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What Are Clover Mites?
Clover mites are absolutely tiny at .75 millimeters long. Generally, homeowners don't even realize they're around! That is, until they reproduce and you’re left with a gigantic swarm of tiny red dots on much of your home’s surfaces. Unfortunately, they can reproduce without the help of a male clover mite, which means they can reproduce quite quickly.
Clover mites are arachnids that are about the size of a poppy seed, or head of a pin. They usually come to a home when it’s springtime and vegetation is lush and plentiful. They eat the sap out of over 200 different plants, as well as algae and mold.
Clover mites have round, circular bodies with eight tiny legs. Besides being incredibly small, their signature feature is that they're bright red and, if you squish them, they will leave a reddish-brown stain.
What Are the Signs of a Clover Mite Infestation?
It is easy to see when your home has a clover mite infestation. These tiny red bugs will be everywhere! Usually, clover mites like to live on warm, sunny parts of your home, but they can (and will!) travel inside in search of lush plants to eat.
Sometimes, homeowners won’t realize there is a clover mite infestation until they begin cleaning and suddenly are leaving bright red stains on their walls, carpets, drapes or couches. These bugs are so small they’re sometimes undetectable, but their signature red stain they leave behind when crushed is a huge warning sign that you have a clover mite problem.
Why Are Clover Mites Considered Pests?
Clover mites don’t actually harm humans in any way, but they are a nuisance. They don’t bite, and the stain they leave behind is not blood – just the natural coloring of their bodies. They can stain almost any surface when killed, which is why most homeowners find them unpleasant.
They’re also considered pests because they can wreak havoc on your lawn and garden and are notoriously hard to stop from coming into your home! They can crawl through screens, through cracks around windows and doors, and through the foundation of your home. They’re almost impossible to seal out of your home, so once you have a large population set on coming inside, you have to find ways of removing the clover mite infestation.
How Can You Get Rid of Clover Mites?
Clover mite infestations come during the lush part of spring and summer, when plants (and plant sap) is at its most plentiful. They reproduce quickly and begin searching for food. As these plants lose their sap and summer begins to dry out your garden and surrounding lawn, clover mites will begin to die off on their own. They are usually only a spring and fall pest, coming into your home during a few months out of the year. If your infestation isn’t too bad, you can wait until the dry part summer hits, and your clover mite population will probably die out on its own. If your clover mite infestation is too large, you can do a few things to get rid of them without causing staining on your home’s surfaces:
- Leave out water.
Clover mites will go in search of water in your home. If you leave out a jar full of water, when the clover mites find it, they will fall in and drown.
- Vacuum the clover mites.
One easy way to remove clover mites from your home’s surfaces without staining is to vacuum them. If this is not feasible, you can also use a wet paper towel.
- Spray the clover mites.
A basic insecticide from your local hardware company can help prevent clover mites from spreading and coming into your home and destroying your yard.
- Call a pest control expert.
Finally, if your home is too run over by these small red arachnids, call a pest control expert. They can help you eradicate a clover mite infestation.
Clover Mites, Pest Control, and Home Warranties
If you have a home warranty that covers pest control, you can save money on getting rid of your clover mite infestation. A pest control service call generally only costs a service call fee, which is between $60-$100. This is a huge cost savings for you, as most pest control services cost around $300! You can schedule pest control service for your clover mite infestation by calling 866-306-2999 or by opening a claim online at www.landmarkhw.com/claim.
