You see something scurry across your hand. It’s reddish-orange and so tiny that you may not have noticed had it not been for its bright color. You go to flick it off your hand, but instead, it accidentally gets squished, leaving a red mark behind. As you look around, you notice more of them nearby. They seem to be all over the place. Many people think these tiny creatures are baby spiders, but that’s only partially correct. These tiny red specks are in the arachnid family, but they are not necessarily babies. They are called clover mites. They are more closely related to ticks, although they don’t cause the same health problems.
Clover mites feed on plants. They prefer clover, which is how they got their name. They will also eat weeds, grass, and garden plants. When they’re outdoors, because they are so tiny and can spread out so much, they rarely cause problems. Often, they’re completely unnoticeable. If their population grows large enough, they can turn the grass they feed on a silvery color, but they don’t cause any real damage.
Most active in spring and fall, you may discover clover mites warming themselves on the sunny side of your house. If they do crawl onto the side of your house, they may find their way inside through minuscule cracks in your foundation or around your windows and doors.
While clover mites do not pose a health concern, they can damage your Aiken property. When squished, they leave behind a red stain that is difficult to remove. If you end up with a large number of them in your house, they could stain furniture, curtains, clothing, and more.
How To Prevent Clover Mites From Entering Your Home
- Consider removing vegetation from around the foundation of your house. Clover mites are unlikely to be attracted to your house if there are no food sources located there.
- Inspect the outside of your home for cracks and seal any you find. Since clover mites are so tiny, it is unlikely that you’ll be able to find every possible entry point. However, taking these steps is always a good preventative measure. It helps reduce the chance of other, more dangerous animals getting into your home.
- Place weather stripping around all windows and doors.
- If you find clover mites in your house, vacuum them up instead of squishing them to prevent staining.
- If you find that clover mites are overtaking your home and becoming a nuisance, it’s time to get help from professionals. Our pest control experts at Aiken Pest Control can eradicate your clover mite problem without damaging your property. Our professionals will identify how these pests are getting in and will tell you how to prevent future invasions.
At Aiken, we offer year-round pest protection that sets your mind at ease when it comes to clover mites and other pests. Our pest technicians are QualityPro certified and ready to help with your pest control needs.