About the Red Poultry Mite

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About the Red Poultry Mite

What is Poultry Red Mite?

Dermanyssus Gallinae is an ectoparasite that lives off the blood of its host animal (similar to mosquitos). We commonly know it as the Poultry Red Mite or Bird Mite, as it is most usually associated with chicken and poultry, but it can also attach to other species, including various birds, mammals, and even humans.

These mites bear a close resemblance to the northern fowl mite, another haemotophagous (host blood consuming) ectoparasite of poultry.

Poultry Red Mite will most often attack at night, but occasionally also during the day. Afterwards they hide in cracks to mate and lay eggs. Bird mites have 5 life stages, which they can complete within 7 days if conditions are right.

Red Mite Lifecycle

Within just 7-10 days (depending on conditions) a red mite egg can hatch into a larva, then protonymph, deutonymph and finally adult, and lay more eggs. Larvae only have six legs and do not feed, whereas the nymphal stages and adults have eight legs and will feed on host blood. Males only feed occasionally.

When attached to a host, red mites feed every 2 to 4 nights and for up to an hour.

The brevity of this cycle results in explosive growth: assuming an average 8 eggs per clutch, an uncontrolled infestation would result in over 244 Million mites within just 3 months!

The lifecycle is the reason why we recommend to use Ultimite UltiSpray every 5-8 days, as this will catch out red mites that have recently hatched. However, you can spray mites whenever you see them – there is no withdrawal period or fear for building resistance, as UltiSpray acts mechanically and instantly, with clearly visible results.

Over 87% Prevalence in the UK!

Poultry Red Mite are a ‘mitey’ problem. Back in 2004 an estimated 87.5% of farms in the UK were infested with PRM. In 2011 this figure reached 94% in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany, and could be even higher today. It is by far and wide the most significant pest affecting egg laying hens within Europe and worldwide.

In 2014 the total cost of red mite infestations was an estimated €360 million per annum in Europe alone, with more than 300 million hens in all production types suffering from infestations.

Number of laying hens per country in millions (2012) and the percentages of farms with Poultry Red Mite

Are you affected?

The only way to know for sure is to monitor:

Set up mite traps to be able to interpret and understand mite levels.
Examine feathers and droppings.
Check the coop at dusk or night – does the sawdust appear to be alive?
Be aware of bird behaviour that could signify an infestation.
Monitoring should be a year-round activity, not just when an infestation is already present.

Be ready to apply treatment: “Prevention is better than cure” is an adage that we hear often, and which holds true here.

Did you know that Ultimite UltiGuard acts as a year-round deterrent, preventing mites from feeding when maintained as a continuous barrier?