Small red stitches on the skin, which are unpleasantly itchy and sometimes painful, indicate grass mites. It is no coincidence that the symptoms occur more often after running around on the lawn or sunbathing in the park. The tiny pests hide here and wait for a suitable host to bite into. If you would like to banish grass mites from your garden, you will find helpful tips on this page.
How to fight grass mites in the garden?
To effectively combat grass mites, the lawn should be regularly blown, freshly mown and the clippings removed. In addition, neem oil or diatomaceous earth powder can be applied to affected areas and the garden can be thoroughly removed from moss and scarified.
Short profile of the grass mite
In order to successfully combat pests, it is always helpful to know their habits and preferences. Therefore, below you will find a brief overview of the appearance and behavior of the grass mite.
- are arachnids
- also known as autumn grass mite, fall mite, grass louse or harvest mite
- only grow to 0.2 to 0.3 mm
Where do grass mites live?
Grass mites usually stay on the ground. In search of a suitable host, they lurk on the tips of the blades of grass. If a creature passes by, depending on their size, they drop or cling to the fur or skin. Grass mites prefer dry climates and warm temperatures. The occurrence is therefore particularly high, especially in the warm season.
Detecting grass mites
Would you like to check whether there are grass mites in your lawn? There is a simple trick for this:
- On a sunny day, place a black sheet of paper or a dark piece of foil on the lawn.
- Wait a few minutes.
- Check the paper or foil for small red animals.
But how does this application work? Quite simply: the black paper heats up in the sun because of the color. Since grass mites love warmth, they crawl from the blades of grass onto the paper.
By the way, grass mites do not colonize the entire lawn. They usually form patchy colonies that appear sporadically in the garden. So use the trick described above in several places.
Are grass mites dangerous?
Adult animals pose no danger. They have already reached their final stage of life and spend most of their lives underground. The larvae of the grass mite, on the other hand, cause painful bites. However, unlike ticks or mosquitoes, they do not suck blood. Therefore, they do not transmit any diseases. However, they feed on small particles of skin that they scrape from the epidermis with their mouthparts. They secrete a caustic salivary secretion. They then detach from their host and mature into adults.
Symptoms of a sting
- Itching
- Pain (occurs with a delay, usually after 24 hours)
- Redness
- wheals
- often on the groin, ankle or back of the knee
- more than just a stitch
- Complaints last up to two weeks
- allergic reactions possible
What promises relief?
Although grass mite bites often cause severe itching, you should avoid scratching the areas. This only increased the risk of the small punctures becoming infected. A cooling gel (€7.00 on Amazon) from the pharmacy can help reduce the itching somewhat. If the application has no noticeable effect, it is best to consult a doctor. He will prescribe you an ointment containing cortisone.
Who is at risk?
Unfortunately no one is safe from grass mites. The size of the host does not play a role in the selection. Grass mites even penetrate through thick animal fur.
Get rid of grass mites
Lawn Care
In summer, it is advisable to water the lawn regularly. Since grass mites avoid moisture, they will look for another habitat if the grass is too wet. Furthermore, the animals do not only nest on fresh stalks. The pruning that occurs during mowing also provides welcome accommodation. Therefore, dispose of the waste outside your garden. However, please make sure that you compost the cuttings legally. If grass mites encounter unfavorable conditions on the surface of the earth, they sometimes crawl into the lower layers of the earth. They penetrate the ground up to a meter deep. As soon as the situation on the surface improves, they will appear again. You can prevent this by disturbing the pests in their retreat. Remove moss and scarify your garden thoroughly.
Other resources
In addition, two home remedies have proven effective for combating grass mites:
- Neem oil
- and diatomaceous earth powder
help drive out the population. Pour the product of your choice onto affected areas of the lawn. You can find these using the trick explained above.
