prevention-icon

Termites

prevention-icon

Ants

prevention-icon

Cockroaches

prevention-icon

Spiders

prevention-icon

Birds

prevention-icon

Bed Bugs

prevention-icon

Bees & Wasps

prevention-icon

Rats & Mice

prevention-icon

Possums

prevention-icon

Biting Insects

prevention-icon

Disinfection Services

Your Guide to Bird Mites in Adelaide

Your Guide to Bird Mites in Adelaide

YOUR GUIDE TO BIRD MITES IN ADELAIDE

 

Just like bed bugs and fleas, bird mites are tiny terrors that infest your home and bite you when you’re asleep. Also known as bird lice, these creatures are frequently mistaken for other parasites, and it’s easy to understand why.

Besides keeping you and your pets awake scratching itchy red bites, they’re difficult to see, and hide away in your linen and furniture during the day. Since they multiply quickly, it doesn’t take long for a small problem to turn into a major outbreak.

Bird mites are usually brought to your home by host birds, which may be pet birds or pest birds living in or on your roof. Once the host bird dies or moves on, the next target for bird lice is you!

If you’re worried about bird mites, we’ve prepared this guide to help you to learn more about identifying bird mites, the problems they cause, and how to prevent and control an outbreak.

What questions will this article answer?

What are bird mites?

Bird mites are tiny arachnids that are incredibly difficult to see, but make their presence known in a similar way to fleas and bed bugs. As the name suggests, bird mites thrive by feeding off the blood of bird hosts and dwelling in their nests. Common on pigeons, sparrows, starlings and poultry, bird mites usually infest your home when you have pest birds living in or on your roof.

Can humans get bird lice?

Bird lice prefer bird blood, but when their bird host dies or moves location they will make their way down into the home and feed on pets and humans instead.

While pet and human blood keeps bird lice alive, it prevents them from reproducing and so they will usually die out within about three weeks of losing access to their bird hosts.

What do bird lice and their bites look like?

Bird lice are very difficult to see – they are less than 1mm with a flat oval body. They are white/translucent coloured before feeding, red/brown immediately after feeding, then black after digesting their meal.

Unlike scabies mites, bird mites don’t burrow into your skin, instead leaving symptoms similar to the bites of fleas and bed bugs. The usually cause small red bumps and itching, which can sometimes be quite severe.

When should I be worried about bird lice?

Like birds, bird lice favour warm conditions and are most active during spring and summer.

Problems caused by bird mites

Though they are small in size, bird mites can cause big headaches if left unchecked. There are several reasons to get on top of an outbreak quickly:

Their bites trigger allergies

Bird mite bites trigger allergies in people and pets (including pet birds), due to chemicals in their saliva which are secreted during a bite. These allergies can be quite nasty and even require treatment.

Sleep deprivation

Bird lice are most active at night, so an infestation will keep you awake experiencing a crawling sensation and scratching itchy bites.

They easily hide in bedding and furniture during the day

Bird lice have adapted to avoid treatment and protect their eggs, by hiding out of site. This prolongs the treatment process and makes it more difficult to exterminate them.

They reproduce quickly

Female bird mites usually lay a few dozen eggs over their lifetime. These eggs hatch in a matter of days, so it doesn’t take long for an outbreak to happen.

How bird mites get in your home

Bird lice get inside when they’re on the prowl for a new host and can infiltrate any area of your home.

They are more likely to migrate to inside the home if pest birds or their nests are nearby. They crawl through roof spaces, cracks or cavities in walls, gaps around windows and door frames. They can also be introduced through pet birds or other small pets (including rodents) purchased from a pet store.

Once inside your home, bird mites lay their eggs everywhere. Be sure to your carpet and furniture, as cotton and fabric provide good insulation for eggs.

Our bird lice control team is ready to help

or

How do I know if I have bird lice?

A bird mite infestation can be tricky to diagnose as the lice are difficult to see, and so you might initially assume that another parasites is responsible.

However, the following signs are a good indicator that the problem on your hands is a bird mite one:

Associated pest bird outbreak

Check for nearby pest birds, especially pigeons, and their nests. Make sure to check:

  • Tour roof, chimney, eaves, window ledges
  • Underneath solar panels
  • Inside your roof space
  • In basements, foundations or on porches

Bites on pet birds

If you have pet birds, check them for bites, which can appear as crusty, scaly, swollen skin or a rash.

Changes to pet bird behaviour

Watch for signs of infestation in birds, such as restlessness, frequently picking at their feathers and skin, making unusual sounds, or developing sinus issues and coughing or sneezing. Chickens lay poorer quality eggs and hatch fewer chicks.

Bites on people

When looking for a new host, bird lice ‘test bite’ humans, injecting saliva which triggers a skin reaction. This causes very itchy, swollen red spots on the skin, which can become an allergic rash if you are bitten multiple times, or they are frequently scratched. Bird mite bites are most likely to occur at night, and may also cause a crawling sensation on your skin.

If you’re worried about a bird lice infestation, reach out to us for an inspection.

How to treat bird lice bites

We know how frustrating it can be to get bitten kept awake with itchy skin. So if you’re experiencing an outbreak, here are some tips on how to prevent and treat your bites:

Use insect repellent to prevent getting bitten

Choose brands that contain diethyl meta-toluamide (DEET) or 3-methyl-n-diethylbenzamide.

Rinse and gently scrub your skin with water and soap

This will remove crawling bird mites and disinfect the bites.

Apply soothing anti-itch products

Reduce the temptation to itch by applying over the counter creams, lotions and serums.

If your pet or bird is bitten, take it to the vet for treatment

Your pet may need oral medicine, spray, bath products or grooming.

How to prevent bird mite outbreaks

The best way to reduce your risk of a bird mite infestation is to stop them from coming near your home. Here are some ways you can stay bird lice free:

Regularly maintain bird cages

Thoroughly clean and wash your bird cage/s, and frequently change bedding and litter.

Maintain a clean home

This is especially if you have pets or birds. Make sure to vacuum carpets daily, wash and change bed linen and clothing regularly, change pet litter and wash their bedding.

Check over new pets and birds before bringing them inside your home

If you’re unsure, take them to the vet first.

Regular building maintenance

The best way to protect yourself from bird lice is to prevente pest birds and their nests by:

  • Inspecting for possible entry points and sealing them, particularly around the roof, eaves, check for gaps or loose tiles
  • Keeping chimneys covered when not in use
  • Ensuring vent covers are secured
  • Cleaning and maintaining your solar panels: learn more about Allstate’s solar panel maintenance service here
  • Read our blog for more advice about managing pest birds

Roof void cleaning

Sometimes, despite your best preventative efforts, pest birds can still find their way into your roof space. Not only are they noisy and messy, they bring bird mites inside as well. Even worse, it can be difficult to access and clean your roof space to fix the issue.

That’s why Allstate, we offer a roof void cleaning service to remove any debris (and subsequent insects) left behind by pest birds. That way, you won’t have to worry about bird mites stopping you from getting the good night’s sleep that you deserve! Learn more about roof void cleaning here.

Bird mite outbreaks in businesses

Besides disturbing you at home, bird lice can spell trouble in facilities where there are employees working or people staying overnight. Not only does this compromise the wellbeing of guests, patients and staff, it also makes them hesitant to return.

Over time, bird mites become a major distraction to your day-to-day operations, tarnish the reputation of your business, and can lead to significant fines for breaching health and safety regulations. To top it off, you may need to purchase new carpets, furnishing and linen if there is a severe outbreak.

Hospitals, medical centres and aged care facilities

These places are frequented by people who are already experiencing health issues, so a bird mite infestation will disrupt and further complicate treatment and care programs.

Read more about pest control for aged care here.

Hotels, hostels and accommodation facilities

Guests often cut their stay short if they’re unhappy with the hygiene standards, and are much more likely to leave negative reviews if they realise there is a bird lice outbreak.

Read more about pest control for accommodation facilities here.

How do I manage bird mites – will they go away on their own?

The good news is that bird lice will die within 3 weeks if they have not fed off bird blood, so once you have removed the host birds they will go away on their own. However, it’s best to be proactive and limit the damage they can cause in the meantime. These are four ways you can manage bird mites:

Kill them with insecticide surface spray or powder

You can get DIY insecticides from a hardware store. However they must contain pyrethrin to be effective against the mites.

Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in infested areas

Sprinkling diatomaceous earth around areas where bird lice roam can manage them by disrupting their waterproof outer lining

Destroy and replace heavily infested items

Anything heavily infested with bird mites should be removed and destroyed. This includes carpets, rugs, furniture, linen, clothing and bedding. Always wear protective clothing and gloves when handling your affected belongings.

Get professional pest control

Some Adelaide bird mite problems are best handled by the professionals. This includes instances when:

  • The infestation is heavy
  • There is a large affected area
  • Bird nests are located in hard to reach places
  • The nests have been abandoned – these are best handled by our technicians to limit the spread of bird mites

How to manage a heavy infestation

If you have serious bird lice problems, it’s important to get professional extermination. At Allstate, we offer a 5 step process for bird lice control in Adelaide, which is covered by a 3 month warranty:

1. Pre-treatment inspection

We will conduct a thorough assessment of the roof, entry points, all possible nesting places, and inside the building, to come up with a plan to treat the outbreak.

2. Bird nest location and removal

Before getting rid of the mites, it’s important we remove any bird nests, which are the underlying cause of the problem.

3. Treatment

We apply insecticide powder and surface spray to all affected areas. All products we use are safe for people and pets, and approved by the Australian Veterinary Medicines and Pesticides Authority.

4. Follow-up treatment

Bird mite eggs are often well hidden and take a few days to hatch, so more severe outbreaks need to be treated in more than one visit. In our follow-up treatment we will review the situation and replenish the treatment as needed.

5. Report

We will send you the details on how we treated the outbreak. This also serves as a handy reference for you to keep in the case of any future issues.

Need urgent bird mite control?
Our expert team is ready to help you now

or

Why choose Allstate?

We understand how stressful and overwhelming it can be to deal with pest birds, let alone an outbreak of bird lice. You can trust our team of licensed professionals who are trained and equipped to provide long-lasting bird lice control in Adelaide.

Reach out to us 24/7, from any suburb in Adelaide

Use our chat box on the bottom right of this page.

Prompt, reliable service and emergency response

We won’t leave you feeling stuck – our team responds quickly to urgent cases.

We have a 100% money back guarantee

Because we want you to be satisfied with our bird lice removal treatments in your home or business.

We offer interest-free payment plans

Don’t let tight finances prevent you from getting on top of an outbreak.

We offer targeted, effective solutions with follow ups

We’ll thoroughly assess and inspect your outbreak to come up with an immediate and long term treatment plan.

Our treatments are non-toxic

We only use products that are child, pet and environmentally safe.

We work around your schedule

This will minimise disruption to your home and business.

Get Adelaide bird lice help today

or

Allstate exterminates pest compliance headaches with PestSENSE Digital Pest Register

Allstate exterminates pest compliance headaches with PestSENSE Digital Pest Register

Introducing… PestSENSE by Allstate Pest Control

Family-owned Allstate has always been at the forefront of commercial pest control, but their latest innovation will positively impact businesses of all sizes.

Their new PestSENSE Digital Pest Register will allow businesses to do away with their paper registers and streamline their entire pest compliance process.

The innovation gives businesses of all sizes their own online portal to handle everything related to pest sightings, records, compliance and audits, and it can be accessed by any staff member with the scan of a QR code.

Allstate CEO Vasili Tsoutouras says he is excited about how much easier PestSENSE will make compliance for their customers. “One of the big challenges for a pest control company is ensuring customers have the most up to date information available in their pest register,” Vasili explains.

“For our customers, maintaining a paper pest register is one more thing on a long to do list. Come audit time they’re calling us scrambling to get everything together, and losing even more valuable time in their day. PestSENSE will help them prevente those issues once and for all, while having the peace of mind that they are compliant 24/7.”

This new technology has a range of benefits for quality assurance managers, site managers, and the business as a whole, including:

  • Keeping all compliance information up to date and in the one place
  • Automatic updates to service report and sitemap data
  • Enabling all staff to report pest sightings by scanning the QR code
  • Having all information on hand for third party audits
  • Improved hygiene and security by moving all information online

Allstate has been innovating in the pest control industry since the company’s inception in 1986. Vasili explains that this focus came about due to their emphasis on their customers.

“Ever since my dad founded Allstate in the 80s, we have been about offering the safest, most effective and most compliant services possible” Vasili says. “Innovation has enabled us to live up to these standards and meet the targets that we set ourselves. Whenever we see an opportunity for technology to solve our customers’ problems, we jump on it straight away.”

Read more about the PestSENSE digital register here.