Dust Mites Bites: The Vultures of the Insect World

Do I have dust mites? Do I need to worry about dust mites bites? Yes, you probably have dust mites. No, you do not need to worry about dust mites bites. Why? As crass as it may seem, dust mites are the vultures of the insect world.nnFirst of all, what is a vulture? Think about the implications. Vultures are famous for living off of the dead bodies of wild animals. The eerie creatures circle a dying animal, until the poor thing is finally out of misery. Then, they feed on the carcass.nnAlthough disgusting to consider, vultures provide a great service to our natural environment. After all, what would the world be like, filled with decaying wildlife. It is nature’s way of cleaning up, so to speak. While people cringe to see vultures overhead, the ugly birds take care of a real problem in the outdoors.nnNow, how do dust mites compare to vultures? Dust mites take care of what human beings leave behind on a daily basis. What, you say! Let me explain:nnAs part of the body, human skin is considered a living organ. As medical science will confirm, living organs have many cells which die and are replenished by new cell growth, assuming an individual is healthy of course. Like all organs, skin cells are constantly dying and being replaced by new skin growth. Of course, most people do not consider the process, because it is microscopic and happens every day. In fact, dead skin cells are part of the dust in our home environment. nnSo, what do dust mites have to do with the process? Well, during the day, our unseen skins cells are lost in the air, on our clothes, on the furniture, and basically wherever a human being goes throughout any given day. Likewise, skin cells continue to be discarded and refreshed as clueless people sleep.nnMeanwhile, dust mites clean up a human’s environment. While we are in peaceful slumber, dust mites invade our bed chambers and have a veritable smorgasbord on our dead skin cells.nnYes, I know. The thought disgusts me too. Dust mites are also no respecter of persons. Whether rich and famous, or living in the slums, our pillows and bedding are full of dead skins cells, and probably dust mites.nnAt least there is one conciliation- dust mites are not like bed bugs. They do not feast on the living, so you and I will not be repeatedly bitten throughout the night. Whew! What a relief!nnNot so fast! While you may be reconciled to sleeping with a trillion unseen overnight guests, maybe you should consider the entire process. What naturally happens when a living creature is well fed? Need I say more? If dust mites are not eliminating, they are procreating. Yuck!nnSo, now that you have been ultra-grossed out, what, if anything, can be done to send the unwanted guests packing? First, frequently washing bedding in hot water will discourage the microscopic vultures. If the bedding cannot be washed, as weird as it sounds, freeze the little buggers. Either way, dust mites will not stick around for either extreme.nnNext, consider purchasing bedding where skins cells and dust mites cannot hang on, and around. Now, do damage control around the bed. Vacuuming regularly and deep cleaning the carpet occasionally will help discourage dust mites from moving in for any period of time. Instead, they will move to another location, like the neighbors.nnSo do not despair, simply beware. Dust mites bites are not an issue. However, if the thought of sleeping with microscopic vultures is not appealing, send the littlest scavengers packing. Sleep well, and know there are no uninvited, and unseen, guests in your bed.n