# mite epidemic... we ain't talking in the jars



## JoshKaptur (Feb 17, 2004)

As cosmic irony would have it, after much success with various insect cultures, I began giving advice. I'm talking about years of problem-free culturing. No later than 2 days after a frognet post about how to solve all your culture problems by switching to melanogaster...

Today I noticed a few mites on the fruit fly lids. Upon closer inspection, they are everywhere! I have an entire finished basement with various fish/reptile/amphibian/insect tanks spread around. There are mites in every insect culture (superworms, fruit flies, sprintails, flower beetles, hissing cockroaches), and covering adjacent furniture... including 3 frog tanks. I'm not talking a couple mites here or there... but thousands. I had a black permanent marker on a stand for a fish tank, and the cap was more than half whited-out.

I had mites once before in the superworms/flies and the bookshelf containing them. Tosssed the culture, hosed the rubbermaid, and wiped down the bookcase... dusted flies (knock off mites) and started new cultures... mites were gone a few days later. I moved my insect cultures away from each other after that to avoid future "one-shot gets all" infestation.

Now I'm looking at a basement FULL of them... and I'm at a loss for how to recover.

As of now, I did yesterday or am doing today the following:

-tossed superworm culture
-clean roach container... dust all roaches in supplement powder to knock mites off... replace (way too many roaches to start over).
-moved all frogs to freshly bleached new tanks... fresh substrate, fresh pothos clippings, fresh coco huts.
-"moat" all fruitfly containers... started new cultures with dusted flies (again, knocking off mites)... ordered new flies to start new cultures away from infected area.

Any other suggestions?
Josh


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## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

FlyCulture.com sells miticide shelf paper that you can use around your culture, as well as stuff you can put on cloth or paper towels and use inside the cultures to kill them.


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## JoshKaptur (Feb 17, 2004)

I ordered some... any idea on the shelf life (sealed storage), and how long it is good when in use (as a shelf liner)?

Any other suggestions... or anyone willing to admit this has happened to them?

Josh


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## ChrisMc (Mar 7, 2004)

I just had a similar infestation happen to me. I had thousands of white mites that were crawling all over one of my frog racks. I noticed that they had a real liking to the rice flour beetles because there were so many that they made mounds of mites. I also noticed these mites in my springtail cultures. My plan was to remove the rice flour beetles to the shed outside and wipe out as many mites in the springtail culture and place them in another room. I then wiped the entire rack and tanks(outsides) containing frogs with bleach water. I might have removed half using this method. Now about a week later I see no mites in either my springtails, fruitflies, or on the frog rack. Im not sure but I think mites are specific to what they parasite on. So by removing their intended host you should control them. They may wonder from the source and appear to be interested in your other insects but the ones I had havent bother anything else (knocking on wood.)


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## Bry (Feb 18, 2004)

Chris, I agree with you, most, if not all of the mite species are particular about what they parasite on. I had an infestation of snake mites a while back, and they seem to prefer cold-blooded animals, so they infested some of my snakes as well as a couple of my geckos, but never bothered my cat. I have heard of people getting mites on their dogs/cats, but they don't bother their snakes. Heck, there are even predatory mites that prey only on mites, but don't bother anything else. So, I would think the same is true for these mites that infest feeder cultures.

Bry


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## Jace King (May 5, 2004)

how can i infest a tank with mites
Just wonderijg 
JACE


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## Bry (Feb 18, 2004)

By bringing in a new frog or culture that may have mites or mite eggs on them. This is why a period of quarantine is important. One frog is easier to treat than 20.

Bry


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## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

JoshKaptur said:


> I ordered some... any idea on the shelf life (sealed storage), and how long it is good when in use (as a shelf liner)?
> 
> Any other suggestions... or anyone willing to admit this has happened to them?
> 
> Josh


Not sure. I've never used it myself. So far I haven't had any issues with mites (knock on wood), just saw it on their web site. You might try emailing them.


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