There are quite a few insects and arachnids that can cause significant damage to food. These include the flour mite. A tiny insect can cause many problems in humans. Getting rid of a tick is quite difficult. Are there any preventive measures, and how to deal with if the insect has already been detected? We will talk about this in the article.
What is a flour mite?
There are pests of plants, cereals, and other food products that are quite problematic to get rid of. Among them, one can single out the flour mite or, as it is also called, the barn mite. It would seem, what harm can an insect whose size is less than a centimeter cause? In fact, with the advent of this arachnid, food begins to deteriorate and rot.
Notice the flour mite is quite difficult because of its small size and color. The body is white, the legs are brown. He has strong enough and powerful paws, thanks to which he calmly moves on a flat vertical surface (for example, glass).
Females liverelatively short. In summer 2-3 months, in winter up to 6 months. During this period, they are able to lay up to 200 eggs. The flour mite feeds on wheat grains, flax seeds, legumes and others. The most tasty for him is the food that is rich in fatty compounds.
Where the pest lives
The habitat of the flour mite can be different. Often it is found in residential premises, at a mill, flour mill, bakeries, shops, warehouses. In addition, he feels great in the soil, haystacks, holes of moles and mice.
The most favorable temperature for a flour mite is 22-24°. Under these conditions, the female actively mates with the male. After a few days, she can already lay eggs (3-4 per day). Offspring tend to reproduce close to places where food is available.
The temperature at which the female cannot lay eggs is more than 30° and less than 8°.
Clean barns are the key to grain conservation
In order to prevent the flour mite, it is necessary to properly store food and crops, especially in warehouses. There are some tips to avoid this pest in barns:
- Maintain the right temperature and moisture. From time to time the room must be ventilated. Provide climate control. This can be done with air conditioners and fans. If products allow, it is better to keep them at low temperatures.temperatures, in which case barn mites are unlikely to appear.
-
Keep warehouses perfectly clean. If there is debris, dust, other waste, they must be removed.
- Make sure there are no mice in the room. They carry similar ticks.
- Quality control. Weekly check of stored products for the presence of small scales of the pest.
Besides, it is necessary to keep the vehicle and containers in which grain and other products interesting for the flour mite are transported clean.
How do you know if a tick is in the flour?
Pests of plants, cereals, legumes can start up not only in barns and warehouses, where there are a large number of products. This can happen at home too. Most often ticks start in flour. They are so small that at first glance it is impossible to notice the danger. But no matter how these arachnids disguise themselves, there are ways to understand that they are wound up in products:
- Carefully look at the color of the flour, the paws of pests have a characteristic brown color, so a crust similar to sand forms on the surface.
-
Barn mites have a characteristic smell similar to mint. The taste of the product may also change, giving a sugary-sweet.
- Ticks never stand still, they are constantly moving. Therefore, you can pour flour on the surface, level it and pay attention after 10-15 minutes. If pests are present, bumps will appear.
- MoreOne easy way is to use double sided tape. Stick it in the cabinet where flour, drying, legumes and other products are stored. After a few days, take a magnifying glass and carefully inspect the surface of the tape.
Flour mites do not bite, but many people experience allergic reactions in the form of itching and redness of the skin when in contact with these pests.
These tips will help you quickly detect the pest and prevent it from multiplying.
The parasite has been found, further actions to destroy it
If a flour mite has been found, the fight against it should be started immediately.
First you need to carefully put all the spoiled food in a trash bag and take it to the tank away from home. Don't forget to tidy up your closet. The surest way is a solution of vinegar. After that, dry the shelf thoroughly with a hair dryer. Make sure that there is no debris or crumbs left in the corners and crevices. To do this, use a vacuum cleaner.
Another important detail is the processing of cans and containers in which food and groceries infected with flour mites were stored. They need to be washed well with warm water, it is better to heat treat after that and dry thoroughly. Only then can they be used.
Flour mites are not dangerous to humans. But in some cases, when ingested with food, allergic reactions may occur, up to loss of consciousness and respiratory arrest.
Are there any preventive measures?
To notencounter the problem of flour mites in the apartment, you must follow preventive measures:
- Once a month clean up the closet. Remove excess crumbs, dust, and so on.
- Flour, groceries, legumes, dried fruits and other foods are best stored in closed jars or vacuum bags.
- Try to maintain the right temperature. Do not allow the cabinet to be located close to the stove.
- Flour mites can't stand the smell of bay leaves. Spread it around the perimeter of the closet, and you can forget about the problem of pests.
The flour mite is a common pest. Besides the fact that it spoils the products, it also leads to the formation of mold, the appearance of other microorganisms. After that, for example, cereals are unsuitable for planting. It is necessary to take preventive measures to exclude the appearance of a barn mite.
