Mites Vs. Collembola
How can I tell the difference between a mite and a springtail?
When viewed under a magnifying glass or microscope, bird and rodent mites look like tiny spiders. Scabies mites resemble tiny turtles. Springtails look like little insects. Most species will have a tail-like appendage known as the furcula. It’s possible you won’t spot the tail right away, as it may be tucked up under the abdomen. When in doubt, use Google Image Search to find pictures of common mites that bother humans. If you don’t own a magnifying glass, run out and buy one immediately. No mite infested home should be without one! To increase your chances of catching a glimpse of random attackers, keep one magnifying glass beside your bed and another near your favorite sofa or armchair. Study your skin the moment you feel a crawling sensation.
Note that springtails are not mites. They are hexapods–wingless arthropods that inhabit fertile soil worldwide. Unlike mites, they typically aren’t interested in finding hosts to feed upon. There is much debate as to whether or not springtails are capable of biting or infesting humans, but it is not disputed that they can infest homes by the millions. For a deeper discussion of this topic, read our article on Collembola.
A springtail infestation can be particularly chronic because these resilient hexapods aren’t natural parasites. They can feed upon mold, paper, cardboard and cotton materials within couches and mattresses. Carbon dioxide traps can be particularly useful in luring them out of hiding places before fogging with our organic indoor formula. Springtail customers often report that mattress encasements aren’t enough to stop the cycle of infestation. If your bed is chronically infested, you may want to replace it with a good inflatable mattress. Avoid inflatable mattresses coated with cloth material and go for plastic surfaces that can be sprayed or wiped clean with liquid pesticides. Don’t introduce new beds and couches until you’re sure the infestation is gone. With liberal use of organic pesticides and advanced trapping techniques, PEOPLE DO GET THROUGH THIS. Fogging is highly recommended. Begin with one gallon per 1,000 square feet and get enough to treat the home twice in 72 hours. If your home is 1,000 square feet, start your springtail agenda with two gallons. If your home is 2,000 square feet, start with four gallons.
What Makes Our Organic Cedar Oil Formula Powerful and Unique?
- Erodes the exoskeleton of insects that crawl through treated areas, contributing to the early demise of insects you don’t see.
- Repels a wide variety of insects and discourages new insects from moving into treated territory for up to a month.
- Dissolves eggs on contact, but not by proximity. In other words, eggs must come in contact with the formula, not just the vapors.
- Won’t stain carpets, bedding or furniture because it’s steam distilled in small batches to remove impurities.
- Spreads nicely over wide areas because it’s not mixed with water. (Our formula contains a special organic solvent that helps it stay mixed. Normally, oil and water will always separate, producing very uneven results when distributed over wide areas. That’s why it’s so difficult to treat wide surfaces with essential oils that are sold in tiny bottles at health stores.)
- Can be applied directly to humans, dogs and horses.
- Is endorsed by Animal Wellness Magazine as a safe alternative to dangerous chemical and spot drop flea treatments, which shorten life spans and cause SEVERE reactions in more than 44,000 animals each year. Read more…
- Is used by housing authorities across the country against bedbugs because these hearty parasites have an uncanny ability to develop resistance to chemical pesticides.