Get Rid of Clover Mites
Clover mites are tiny insects that commonly appear during the spring and fall. They are brown in colour when full grown and red in appearance when they are younger. Clover mites also have notably long front legs which are twice the size of their other legs. These mites feed in plants, and infestations usually start outdoors. In severe cases, however, infestations can also move indoors into your home.
Steps
- Know where to find them. By knowing where to look for clover mites, you can assess the severity of the infestation and begin a treatment regiment. Outside, clover mites gather underneath bark at the base of trees, in lawns, and around algae- or mold-covered areas like roofs and cracks. Clover mites also gather under sidings and in sewers. If the infestation has spread to the cracks and siding of your home, there is a decent chance there are mites already inside your home, making home treatment necessary as well as lawn treatment.
- Avoid overfeeding your lawn. Giving your lawn or the plants around your home too much water can create conditions that are perfect for mold and other fungi that can attract the mites. Too much fertilizer can cause a similar problem. If you do not overfeed your lawn, you can prevent these food sources from growing, discouraging the expansion of the infestation.
- Treat infested plants. If you notice clover mites around the base of your trees or crawling on the leaves or stems of other plants, treat the infested plants with a liquid pesticide labeled to treat mites. Apply the pesticide early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid scorching the plants, and follow label directions to avoid under-dosing or overdosing.
- Treat the entire lawn with a specialized pesticide. When a home or plant has clover mites, there is a good chance the entire lawn is infested. If further inspection proves this to be true, apply a broad-range spray pesticide over your entire lawn. Dilute both granular and liquid pesticides with water according to label directions and spray the entire landscape, using a mist nozzle, in the early morning or evening, before the heat of the afternoon.
- Remove the wrong vegetation from the perimeter of your house. All grass and weeds within 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm) should be dug up and cleared away. Focus your efforts on the south, southwest, and east sides of the house. Clover mites need plant material to survive, and by removing it from the area near your home, you reduce the likelihood of having the infestation spread to your home. You can either leave these areas bare or you can cover them with mulch or gravel, which often turn mites away because it is difficult to crawl over.
- Note that gravel and mulch do not always drive the mites away. Resilient clover mites will crawl over it, difficult or not. Moreover, if mold or moss is allowed to gather on these materials, you may end up attracting the mites to your home instead of driving them away.
- Place the right vegetation around your home. Even though many plants provide the mites with a food source, some plants repel clover mites. These plants often prove even more helpful than bare ground or mulch.
- Mite-repelling flowers include geranium, zinnia, marigold, salvia, rose, chrysanthemum, and petunia.
- Mite-repelling shrubs include barberry, juniper, spruce, arborvitae, and yew.
- Apply a barrier treatment to keep the pests out of your house. Select any over-the-counter insecticide that is supposed to kill mites. Spray a barrier around the perimeter of your house that is 2 feet (61 cm) high and {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} (1.5 m) wide. You need to apply the chemical thoroughly, making sure that you do not miss any spots, and you may need to repeat treatments several times while you get the infestation in your lawn under control.
- Apply the treatment in the morning, before the heat of the afternoon or the coolness of night. Bright sun can damage vegetation, but cold weather can make the product less effective.
- Place dust around entrances to your home. Windows, doors, and cracks are all places where mites may enter. Placing a powder-like substance, such as talc baby powder or baking soda, will stop the clover mites that crawl through those spaces from entering any further into the home. The dust coats the clover mites, making it difficult to move and causing them to die off one by one.
- Place double-sided tape around your windows. Since the mites are so small, they cannot avoid strips of tape placed across their entryways. When mites crawl onto the tape, they will get stuck and will eventually die. Once the tape becomes covered by dead mites, you can remove it and stick another one in its place.
- Vacuum your home. When you see clover mites, use a vacuum cleaner to sweet them up instead of smashing them. Smashing the mites usually leaves behind a red stain. Aside from vacuuming up the mites as you see them, you can also do frequent broad-area vacuuming to pick up any mites or mite eggs that you do not see.
- Apply a home insecticide. Indoor insecticide application is generally considered a last resort, but occasionally, it may well be necessary. Apply a mild mite-killing insecticide, lightly spraying it on the crawling mites. Avoid broad use of interior insecticides. It is generally considered safer and better to use an insecticide that must be applied directly to the pests than it is to use one that is applied to surfaces of the home.
Tips
- Do your research when selecting a pesticide or insecticide. Make sure the brand you choose is labeled to treat clover mite infestations, and check a few reviews to determine how potent or effective it is.
- Mites in a house are likely to be found near windows, cracks in the walls, or in sunny areas.
Warnings
- When applying chemical insecticides indoors, do so in a well-ventilated room. If you do not want to open the windows for fear of letting more mites in, at least leave the door of the room open and run an electric fan to keep fresh air circulating into the space.
Things You’ll Need
- Insecticide
- Baby powder or baking soda
- Double-sided tape
- Vacuum cleaner
