You're probably familiar with the itchy hives that form on your skin after playing or sunbathing on the lawn. These are the bites of the grass mite. Numerous measures are known against the pests which, in acute cases, ensure that the pests disappear. But are there preventive measures that prevent a population from forming in the first place in the summer? How do grass mites actually overwinter?
Where do grass mites spend the winter and how can you prevent them?
Grass mites overwinter in the ground by burrowing up to a meter deep into the ground, where they are usually protected from frost. To prevent a population in summer, you should mow the lawn, scarify the lawn and ensure sufficient humidity.
Grass mites love warm temperatures
Grass mites prefer to stay in places where temperatures are between 25 and 30°C. Therefore, you suffer from the bites, especially in the summer period from July to October. But even at just 10°C, the activity of the parasites has already been demonstrated.
Tip
High temperatures are always accompanied by high humidity. If you avoid this, for example by ventilating your greenhouse (€247.00 on Amazon) well and maintaining sufficient planting distance in the bed, you have taken the first step towards prevention.
Wintering
When winter comes, the grass mites crawl into the ground. They penetrate the ground up to a meter deep. As a rule, they are well protected from frost there, because icy cold is the only thing that can really be dangerous for the parasites. Only in very cold winters, when even the deeper layers of the earth freeze, do the majority of grass mites die. When the temperatures rise again in spring, the pests appear again and take their usual place on the tips of the grass.
Contain population
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to take action against grass mites. Possible preventative measures are
- Mowing the lawn
- Scarify the lawn
By keeping your lawn very short, you deprive the grass mites of their usual habitat on the tips of the grass. In addition, the morning dew dries faster. The parasites don't like the dry air. Scarifying in spring loosens the soil. With a bit of luck, you can disturb the grass mites during their hibernation in this way.
