General Q&As about dust mites What is a dust mite? The house
dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in Europe and
Dermatophagoides farinae in North America), sometimes
abbreviated by allergists to HDM, is a cosmopolitan guest in
human habitation. They are considered to be one of the most
common causes of asthma worldwide. What does it look like? Both
male and female adult house dust mites are globular in shape,
creamy white and have a striated cuticle. The female measures
approximately 420 micrometres in length and 320 micrometres in
width. The male is approximately 420 micrometres long and 245
micrometres wide. A member of the phylum Arthropoda, post-larval
stages of house dust mites have eight legs; larval stages have
six legs. What is the average life cycle of the dust mite? The
average life cycle for a male house dust mite is approximately
19-30 days while a mated female house dust mite can live for up
to two months, laying eggs for the last 30 days of her life.
Where do dust mites live? The dust mite