General information

The red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) is an ectoparasite, also known as the blood mite. It mostly occurs in bird species such as chickens and aviary birds, but also in reptiles. In professional poultry operations it is a major plague which, due to the few available remedies, is very difficult to control. As the mites suck large amounts of blood, infested animals usually suffer from anaemia, making them far more susceptible to disease. In addition, the mites are able to transmit diseases themselves.

Blood mites reproduce extremely quickly and can therefore build up a huge population in a short time. Their frequent blood-sucking severely weakens the pigeons' health, which can end in death.

General characteristics

An adult blood mite is approx. 1 mm in size, has eight legs and is dark red in colour. A female can lay 3 to 7 eggs per day, hiding them in cracks and crevices. Depending on the temperature, the eggs hatch after 1 to 2 days. If conditions are not ideal, the mites and eggs can survive for months, even up to two years. They only hatch once the climate is favourable again. In this way, blood mites can overwinter without any problem. Before reaching adulthood, the mite passes through a number of nymph stages, characterised by the larva repeatedly changing form. Blood mites can live for up to six months and survive for months without food.

Way of life

Red mites live in the immediate vicinity of the pigeons. They stay in the pigeon loft, where they hide in cracks and crevices during the day. They shun the light and only come out once it is dark. They then crawl onto their host and use a special sucking mouthpart to draw blood from the resting pigeons. They can also often be seen in the nest bowls and on young birds.

Symptoms: how do you recognise an infestation?

It is important to detect a blood mite infestation as early as possible. For this reason, regularly check the cracks and crevices in the pigeon loft for the presence of mites. A good spot to check is the underside of the ends of the perches. Regular inspection allows you to detect an infestation at an early stage.

The pigeons themselves will also give you signs that something is wrong: they scratch frequently, lose weight and appear listless. If you observe these symptoms, the infestation is serious and it is high time to intervene.

Control

Controlling blood mites is no easy task. A number of chemical control agents are commercially available, but none of them are sufficiently effective.

To solve the problem effectively, you can use Dutchy's® predatory mites. These are predatory mites that have blood mites on their menu. Depending on the conditions, they can survive in the pigeon loft for a very long time and devour the blood mites present entirely. The predatory mites actively seek out their prey and give it no rest. Once an infestation has been identified, it is important to introduce the Dutchy's® as quickly as possible so that the blood mite population does not grow too large. When calculating the number of predatory mites required, carefully follow the instructions for use for pigeons.

You will find all suitable products in our Mite Control category.