Aug 17, 2011 – Bunches of Bugs
QUESTION:
We have an unknown infestation in a creamer machine in one of the donut stores that we service. They can be seen moving but only in clusters. We have tried cleaning the machine but have been unsucessful in eradicating them. Under the microscope they appear like tiny ticks in shape but microscopic in size, yellowish in color and almost tranparent, possibly 6 legs. They seem to be in clusters that are all stuck together. Any help or suggestion would be appreciated.
ANSWER:
I nearly always cringe when attempting to make an identification based on only a description, so please do not take this as gospel. However, you are describing a habit that I have seen with mites such as mold, grain, or cheese mites. These are extremely tiny, sort of creamy tan in color, look like microscopic ticks (but with 8 legs), and they often will be found milling around in a large mass. I'm not sure why they do this, but some instinct draws them into these clusters of hundreds or thousands of them. They have fairly short legs and many very long hairs on them, so this may separate them from other possibilities such as booklice or other kinds of mites.
These mites are nearly always encouraged by moisture, and often they may be in a home where there is a moisture problem in the kitchen. They may live and breed in bags of stored food products that are in damp or poor condition, feeding on grains and other grain-based foods or on the molds that grow on them. While feeding they can impart an off-taste to the grain or the packaging, spoiling more product than they actually damage by feeding.
Control centers around moisture management, so it would be worthwhile to do a very thorough inspection of the areas around this equipment to see if there is some other source that could be feeding the mites into the creamer. Insecticide applications should kill the mites, but obviously you should not treat this food equipment directly. Pyrethroids labeled for use in this kind of food area could be applied around the equipment and onto other surfaces where you suspect the mites to be, but the equipment itself is best treated by dismantling and thoroughly cleaning it. It's possible there has been spillage into voids and surfaces that are not easily accessed for cleaning, and it may need to involve someone who can completely open up the machine and completely and thoroughly clean out any residues. Sometimes there just is not an easy and quick fix for pest problems, so the customer is liable to grumble and balk at the inconvenience. Too often they may believe that some quick shot of some pesticide can be the cure-all.
View past Ask Mr. Pest Control questions.
We have an unknown infestation in a creamer machine in one of the donut stores that we service. They can be seen moving but only in clusters. We have tried cleaning the machine but have been unsucessful in eradicating them. Under the microscope they appear like tiny ticks in shape but microscopic in size, yellowish in color and almost tranparent, possibly 6 legs. They seem to be in clusters that are all stuck together. Any help or suggestion would be appreciated.
ANSWER:
I nearly always cringe when attempting to make an identification based on only a description, so please do not take this as gospel. However, you are describing a habit that I have seen with mites such as mold, grain, or cheese mites. These are extremely tiny, sort of creamy tan in color, look like microscopic ticks (but with 8 legs), and they often will be found milling around in a large mass. I'm not sure why they do this, but some instinct draws them into these clusters of hundreds or thousands of them. They have fairly short legs and many very long hairs on them, so this may separate them from other possibilities such as booklice or other kinds of mites.
These mites are nearly always encouraged by moisture, and often they may be in a home where there is a moisture problem in the kitchen. They may live and breed in bags of stored food products that are in damp or poor condition, feeding on grains and other grain-based foods or on the molds that grow on them. While feeding they can impart an off-taste to the grain or the packaging, spoiling more product than they actually damage by feeding.
Control centers around moisture management, so it would be worthwhile to do a very thorough inspection of the areas around this equipment to see if there is some other source that could be feeding the mites into the creamer. Insecticide applications should kill the mites, but obviously you should not treat this food equipment directly. Pyrethroids labeled for use in this kind of food area could be applied around the equipment and onto other surfaces where you suspect the mites to be, but the equipment itself is best treated by dismantling and thoroughly cleaning it. It's possible there has been spillage into voids and surfaces that are not easily accessed for cleaning, and it may need to involve someone who can completely open up the machine and completely and thoroughly clean out any residues. Sometimes there just is not an easy and quick fix for pest problems, so the customer is liable to grumble and balk at the inconvenience. Too often they may believe that some quick shot of some pesticide can be the cure-all.
View past Ask Mr. Pest Control questions.
