Comprehensive Guide to Red Mite Dermanyssus gallinae - Identification & Assessment

In the following article I set out the information I used and protocols I created from reading through the available research on red mite, coupled with that garnered from my own observations and experience. The most important features of all parasitism, in my experience, is to clearly identify the parasite, understand its life-cycle and combine this with an assessment of the particular level of infestation. Only then can we fully comprehend what our actions should be and moreover without this knowledge we can waste vital time and energy on unnecessary treatments, instead of dealing with what can become a very real threat to our poultry.

Red mite - Dermanyssus gallinae is a member of the arachnid family, thus a relation of the scaly leg mite, Knemidocoptes mutans, which I have written about here. However, the red mite belongs to the order Mesostigmata, many of which are non-parasitic mites but free-living and most importantly, predatory. Interestingly though with red mite, its life cycle necessitates obligatory parasitic attributes, such as its need to blood-feed upon a host in order to complete the three final subsequent phases in its development. These are specifically the eight-legged stages which take it from protonymph, through deutonymph to full adulthood. As witness my photo above, red mite, should be easier to treat because unlike the scaly leg mite, it is visible to the naked eye, particularly and most gruesomely when its has fed and become bloated and red in colour.

How do I know if I have a serious level of Red Mite?

• One of the first indications of a red mite infestations is that your poultry may stop roosting in the house and if they are free range, will prefer roosting in the trees!

• Birds stamping their feet in the coop, as they feel the mites crawling up their legs.

• Birds may show signs of irritation with each other, with lack of sleep  causing them to be fractious and under stress. Just as in humans this can create conflict and irritation with neighbours.

• You may see blood spots (crushed mites) or even live ones crawling on the eggs in the nest boxes.

• Hens will go off lay. They may also seem fatigued, not as lively as usual and they may even look pale. This is obviously due to blood loss.

• There is a smell with red mite, apparently not everyone can sense it, to me it smells like vinegar and once your nose can identify it, it is a fail-safe proof you have red mite.

• You will feel mites dropping down onto your head and/or crawling onto you when you are in the coop or crawling up your hands when you collect eggs or take out the perches to clean the house! 

An Aside: The Strange Parallel  Between Host and Parasite

Below clutches of mites' eggs seemingly freshly-laid on the wood planking underneath the wire netting framed cover which had just been removed from one of our roosts. I can see five or maybe six eggs in the nest on the lower right. Top left I can make out a whole pile of eggs, I am guessing, in a communal nest and with the mites fussing around them. Do they guard them? Are they going to carry them away into some dark corner now they have been exposed to the light? I'm presuming they don't sit on them!

Red Mites - The Acid Test(s)

Here are a few quick tests to see if you have a bad infestation of mite.

For the Squeamish: The Movement Test

Take a power or cordless drill switch it on and run it with the body of the drill lying flat against the walls, door or floor of the coop/hen house. The mites will be triggered by the vibration, thinking the hens are coming back into the coop. You will see exactly where they are hiding.

For the Brave: The Heat Test

Place your hand on the wall, door and/or floor of the coop, leave it there for a few seconds. The mites nearest to your hand will start to emerge. They will also signal to those near at hand (sorry) so be very afraid!

..or The Not So Brave

Place a heated stone, not a hot water bottle because they will infest that, in the coop and wait.

For the Brave: The Hanky Test

Take a white paper handkerchief and run it all the way along the underside of the perch/roost after the birds have left the coop in the morning. If you have an infestation, it will be covered with tell-tale red streaks of squashed mites.

Look No Hanky! 

Here I'm making a preliminary test by running my hand under the roost/perch some three days after the first treatment, just to see if any one has hatched out in the meantime!

Understanding the Red Mite's Life Cycle and Habits 

As with all the parasites I have come across, understanding what they are about, is key to controlling the particular problem of their overgrowth. I write this rather than 'eradication' because, firstly there is not enough information on any of these creatures to understand if they have a symbiotic relationship with the host and secondly because red mite at low levels of population are caught and eaten by my chickens. It is human nature and certainly a commercially encouraged one, to think that everything needs to be 'zapped' to annihilation but recent research teaches us that some parasites, I'm thinking of beans and black fly, for example, are crucial to the development of the host. Who is to say if a low level of red mite in a coop doesn't regulate iron levels within birds, as this element is incredibly difficult to remove, except by blood letting, when it is in excess to requirement?

The illustration above, from Publicdomainpictures.com shows the female mite at the Deutonymph stage of development.

Below a video I made of a red mite infestation on an old cardboard box that had had three broodies in it - as you can see these have not fed, as luckily I became aware of them!

Important considerations, which help with control

1. Unlike the scaly leg mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is not host specific and does in fact spend most of its time off the host, usually only visiting the bird for a few hours at night, to feed upon its blood.
2. Several studies have supported generalism in host choice for Red mites. It was previously thought they were avian specific but Dermanyssus gallinae have also been found on rodents and other mammals.
3. Like the literary blood-sucker, the vampire, Dermanyssus gallinae shuns sunlight, spending most of its life hiding in the darkest areas of the chicken coop, hen house or barn. 
4. A distinctive feature and upon which I have never found any accord, is its ability to remain without food for an exceedingly long time, think months and even years!
5. At all stages of its life, including, it has been recently postulated, the larval, it may feed upon blood but it is believed that a blood-meal is crucial in the three final stages, mentioned above. Furthermore, it is the females who need blood to develop and also during periods of reproduction, although the males are thought to take an occasional blood-feed.
6. The life cycle of the red mite from egg to adulthood usually takes around 14 days but the time can be halved, if weather conditions are favourable.
7. With reference to the above, mites prefer warm humid conditions to thrive and survive. At an optimum of 25°C to 35°C (77°F - 95°F) and 60% to 70 % humidity the mite population will 'explode' and quickly become an infestation.
8. The red mite will go dormant when temperatures drop below 10°C (50°F)  but temperatures above 45°C (113°F) are thought to be fatal.
9. Red mites find their host through movement, heat (body temperature), CO₂ (respiration) and chemical signals (odours).
10. If you have broodies in a coop, they will be a magnet for red mite, if you have an infestation.
11. If you have chicks in a coop then red mite, if they are in sufficient numbers can cause severe problems for them and which can lead to fatalities.
12. The females lay 4 to 8 eggs per day with an average in their life span of a total (depending on what paper you read) of 30 to 300 eggs.
13. Mites are adept at finding places to hide, woodworm holes, screw threads and underneath dried poo(p) are just some of the crafty ideas they have for hide-and-seek.

Conclusions

From the above we can draw the following important inferences:

Firstly, that if mites are at infestation level, any chicks and/or juveniles should be removed immediately as they are the most at risk.

Just as an aside here, unless this is an emergency as with the above, no bird should be removed at night, as if you are unlucky you may hit the brief two hour period when the mites may be 'in residence'. However, as you carry the bird, you will soon know, as they will start to transfer to you but it is still a risk you don't need to take.

Treating the bird is totally unnecessary and moreover a waste of valuable time. Treatment needs to be swift and efficient, the life cycle of the red mite from egg to adult being very short, once it has created a large population within the coop, the exponential growth is alarming!

Broodies too should be removed from the coop and their nest boxes changed and their old ones and the straw preferably burned if you have a stove. Normally I would compost old straw but the mites can live in the compost bin and attach themselves to a bird at an opportune moment.

If you buy or inherit  a second-hand coop or buy a broody hen then it is a good idea to check the house for mites with the tests above, even if the house has been unoccupied for many months. Check the broody for evidence of mite activity too. If you have bought her during the day, then chances are there should be nothing on her but she may have tell-tale skin irritation and damage which will testify to mites.  If you have been given her in a box or with straw, then the possibility is that there are mites in her bedding. (I once carried a broody over from a neighbour's house and carried over some mites too).

Once you have established there are mites and you have treated them, you should recheck and retreat, if necessary in line with the life cycle, spacing out your checking and treatments accordingly.  It is very important to remember that the weather will have an impact on when and how long the creatures take to hatch out and develop through their different stages.

If you live in a climate where the weather and humidity are optimum for mites, then you should do a routine check for them throughout the year.

Mites like to hide and they are good at it, so keeping the house clean, in particular, scraping the roosts and floor, so that there is less debris for them to hide in is very important. I also like to get the roost outside and tipped upside down, so that my birds can spy out and eat any of the mites that are hiding under them. Even mites that haven't fed and are at the 'grey ghost' stage are easily spotted as a tasty appetiser.

In the next article (Link Below) I will share the three ways I use to successfully get rid of red mite.

Thanks for dropping by and do feel free to share experiences or ask for further information in the comment section. If you have enjoyed this piece and found it useful think about sharing it with your family and friends, on social media and also maybe about joining this blog and/or subscribing to my Youtube channel or even supporting us on Patreon or

It all helps to keep me going!

Until next time, all the very best from Normandie! Sue

© 2020 Sue Cross

RELATED ARTICLES

Red Mite Part 2 Prevention & 3 Cures: Essential Oil, Fire, Steam

Because I have access to all three Fire, Steam and Essential Oils, I like to use a combination of all three but any one of them used alone ...read more

Common Poultry Lice  identification, life cycle and major infestation periods

Menacanthus stramineusare ectoparasites, thus living on the skin...with a short life span, which in adult form, is from 2 to 3 weeks read more

Common Poultry Lice - Treatment and Prevention

When you apply any sort of viscous carrier oil to a louse, the spiracles, pores through which it breathes, become blocked, however, read more

Ticks - Identification, life cycle and lifestyle 

I have to say right from the start the more I read about ticks the more confused I get. There is a volume of information floating about...read more

Ticks - Treatment and Removal from a pigeon's face

The idea of using Tea Tree Essential oil is because it has anaesthetic, antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, antimicrobial properties...read more

Scaly Leg and Face Mite Infestations Why They Happen & What To Do Part 1

I look at the correlation between specific deficiency and parasitisation because it is fundamental to everything I believe is wrong...read more

Scaly Leg Mite Infestations What To Do Part 2

I look at the options both medicinal and nutritional for dealing with this microscopic mite ...read more

Scaly  Face Mite Infestations Treatment Part 3

If you haven't this miraculous substance already in your pantry then I advise you to get some, both for your own and your poultry's health...read more

How to remove a tick from a bird Part One Identification - What, Where and Why?

This is not something that happens very often and in fact I have never had occasion to see a tick on my chickens, basically because if one of mine stuck its head into a border at the front of the house and saw a tick, it wouldn't think twice about eating it. In fact poultry, such as guinea fowl are often kept, partly to deal with tick infestations.

Our gentle but adventurous foraging fantails, however are another matter.

 

Identification

Preamble: I have to say right from the start that the more I read about ticks the more confused I get. There is quite a volume of information floating about but it is also very hard to tie a lot of it down. With regards to photographic depiction, even given that the engorged adult female alters her appearance as she feeds, there are still many contradictions. As regards my pigeon, at the outset I thought this tick might be Argus reflexus a one-host pigeon tick but that now seems unlikely given the one-off nature of my pigeon's tick. Argus reflexus is supposed to haunt dovecotes in some numbers. More likely this is a none-host-specific creature, which a foraging pigeon has picked up in the farm track in front of our house. This being a favourite lane for dog walkers and along which our old friend below travels when she moves pastures.

Flotsam and Jetsam:  The tick is a haematophagous arthropod belonging to the class of Arachnida, so is basically a blood-sucking spider. Like the common poultry lice it is an ectoparasite, living externally on the skin and similarly, the tick can live for some time without food but the female needs that final blood-meal to lay her eggs. There are hundreds of different varieties of ticks but they are divided into two simple kinds, the hard bodied Ixodidae and the soft bodied Argasidae, although simple is perhaps not the right word as the female of the hard bodied type when, 'expecting' and well-fed is very soft and squishy!

It is also confusing in that, as mentioned above, some species of tick are host specific and others either opportunistic or actually are reported as needing several different host types to complete their life cycle, which seems rather complicated and risky. Accordingly they are referred to under the additional titles of one, two and three-host ticks. Their life expectancy also seems to vary greatly, depending on species and lifestyle (hibernation periods, for example) and thus can vary widely from months to years. It also doesn't help that they start their early stages of life as 'seed' ticks or larvae with six legs and move through their nymph stage and adult life with eight. 

However, despite difficulties with identification of the exact species, I would suggest that you certainly know when your bird has one, they are very obviously attached to it and often in the most obvious of places such as the face. I presumed, by the look of this one that this was a fully grown adult female tick

 

 

Life cycle and Lifestyle of the Tick

As ticks are not great at locomotion, certainly in the larval stage, after hatching from the egg they need to wait until something passes by to catch on to it, often frequenting animal paths, sometimes climbing grasses and stalks to wait patiently at the right level. This they do to achieve their first meal and it is known, rather poetically, as 'questing'. Certain ticks are thought to start their lives in the seed tick stage by feeding for a few days on small creatures such as mice and birds. When the seed tick finishes feeding it falls off back to the earth, it sheds its skin to become an eight-legged nymph and goes back on the look-out apparently for something bigger.  Other ticks, however, such as the Argas persicus, seem to prey mostly on birds, in particular the domestic chicken and their lifestyle is, like Argas reflexus, limited to hiding in crevices in the coop and feeding on the birds at night. This is similar to the red poultry mite,  Dermanyssus gallinae, which is also of the class Arachnids and which I will be dealing with in a following post.

 

How the Tick Feeds and How it Stops.

The most important and interesting thing about the tick is the manner in which it feeds because this has direct bearing upon its successful removal. The saliva of the tick is thought to contain a powerful anticoagulant, which keeps the blood flowing once the tick has, with its peculiar mouth-parts, sawn its way through the skin and anchored itself onto its host. This way of attaching itself is what makes it difficult to remove. In addition, certain ticks are reputed to secrete a form of glue, which makes the bond between the host and parasite even stronger. The saliva is supposed not only to prevent the blood from clotting but also to have the properties of a local anaesthetic. This seems to me to be logical, as for the bite to be painful or uncomfortable at the outset could cause the host to try and dislodge the tick, which needs time, often several days, in which to feed. Once the tick has fed enough it withdraws its mouth-parts, dissolves the glue and falls off the host. 

Ticks as Vectors of Disease

Again this is a controversial topic, and in particular with reference to the removal of the tick because of the perceived danger of the tick regurgitating blood back into the host if pressed too hard by the tweezers and/or potential infection if the mouth-parts are left embedded in the wound. Having read several papers and articles on the above I have again found contradictions. Some authors maintain that the tick should be left to feed undisturbed, as it will then drop off when full. Others however, postulate that any infection carried by the tick can only be transmitted after the first 24 hours of feeding (some mention 48 hours). This latter therefore, would mean that removing the tick, when you first observe it, might be a suitable precaution. Personally, I just think that having a creature sucking your blood for three or four days is not a good idea and it can be damaging to the particular sensitive areas around the eyes and mouth. It also must be annoying to the bird, for as the tick expands, it may impair vision or impinge on the bird's own feeding.

Again, with regards to accidentally leaving mouth-parts in the wound,  I have read contradictions. Certain authors maintain that these are just sloughed off by the host in much the same way as a splinter might be. As you can see above I rather mangled this tick when moving it about with the tweezers, trying to get a good close-up but you can clearly see the legs and the tip of the head. As with all questions of potential disease, however, I would suggest that the better the health of the bird at the outset the less chance of infection or illness of any sort. I would also suggest that stress would play a part in this too, so removing the tick as speedily and painlessly as possible could be a factor in a healthy immune response.  In the end it is up to you as an individual, as to how you feel and I would suggest if you are interested you start to research this parasite - it makes for a most interesting read.

See you in Part Two HERE for a step-by-step tick removal.

Thanks for dropping by and if you have enjoyed this piece and found it useful think about sharing it and also may be about joining this blog. Please also feel free to ask questions or make comments in the section below.

For anyone wishing for links to any of the material I read when researching ticks, please just ask.

All the very best,

Sue

RELATED POSTS

Scaly Leg Mite Infestations What To Do Part 2

I look at the options both medicinal and nutritional for dealing with this microscopic mite ...read more

Scaly  Face Mite Infestations Treatment Part 3

If you haven't this miraculous substance already in your pantry then I advise you to get some, both for your own and your poultry's health...read more

Stress - When? Why? Whom? Identification, causes and those most at risk

Stress comes for all sorts of reasons to an organic flock and if not treated within 24 hours, if it's a bad attack, it can be fatal...read more

 

Common Poultry Lice  identification, life cycle and major infestation periods

Menacanthus stramineusare ectoparasites, thus living on the skin...with a short life span, which in adult form, is from 2 to 3 weeks read more

Common Poultry Lice - Treatment and Prevention

When you apply any sort of viscous carrier oil to a louse, the spiracles, pores through which it breathes, become blocked, however, read more

Ticks - Treatment and Removal from a pigeon's face

The idea of using Essential oil of Tea Tree is several-fold in that it has the properties of an anaesthetic, antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic and antimicrobial...read more

Comprehensive Guide to Red Mite Identification & Assessment Part 1

In the following two part articles I set out the information I used and protocols I created from reading through the available research...read more

Red Mite Part 2 Prevention & 3 Cures: Essential Oil, Fire, Steam

Because I have access to all three Fire, Steam and Essential Oils, I like to use a combination of all three but any one of them used alone ...read more

RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE 
© 2014 Sue Cross

How do I know if my birds have lice? Menacanthus stramineus, identification, life cycle and major infestation periods.

Common poultry lice are parasites, they live on their host and therefore it would be self-defeating if, as individuals they were to cause harm to the creature on which they rely for their very survival. This is particularly pertinent for the louse, as it is host specific and moreover will die if stays too long off the bird. In this article I will share how to identify these lice and how to determine why and when they have reached significant population levels, so as to threaten the general well-being of your flock.

Beauty and the beasties - Three of our Chamois White-laced Crested Polish awaiting inspection.

Caramel coloured shiny lice feeding at the base of Rufus' tail feathers. 

In the film below you will see how quickly they move once revealed!

Life cycle and lifestyle

Common poultry lice are ectoparasites, thus living on the skin. They are insects, with a short life span, which in adult form, is from 2 to 3 weeks. They arrive at maturity within a few days and are prolific egg layers (50 to 300 eggs). There whole life cycle from egg to adulthood can be spent on a single bird although they can and do move between them. As with many parasites, they actually have a symbiotic relationship with their host, clearing the skin of debris from feathers, dry skin scales and scabs. Lice have chewing-type mouth-parts, unlike mites for example, which have piercing ones for sucking blood. Lice will however, feed on blood, where it has already emerged from punctured skin or damaged feathers. In my experience, when in large numbers they can also cause dermatitis around these same areas. 

 Clusters of lice eggs attached to Stanislas' vent feathers

My conclusions are therefore, that although fulfilling a function in the removal of dead skin and new feather casings, if they are present on your birds in numbers larger than the bird can deal with by itself, then the lice need to be dealt with speedily. The major advantage is that they are easily identified, mainly by the white clusters of eggs aka nits (pictured above). The females cement these around the base of the feather shafts. Furthermore, unlike some other poultry pests, the nymphs and adults are visible to the naked eye (1 to 3mm in length). 

Tell-tale signs that your birds have a lice problem

First indications your birds may have lice they are not coping with:
- your hens may go off lay, 
- in general, birds appear fatigued due to interrupted sleep patterns,
- damaged feathers, 
- sometimes but not always, birds have grubby feathers round the vent, 
- they appear cold due to damage and loss of fluffy down feathers.

Indications of important infestations: 
- birds seem listless and depressed, 
- they are excessively grooming themselves or other birds as they consume  the abundant lice. 
- When you pick your bird up the lice are so numerous and overcrowded, they instantly transfer on to you in search of a new host.

Peacefully entering into Autumn. Just coming out of the moult and growing new feathers

When should you be expecting this?

Essentially now at my time of writing this in August when the birds are coming out of moult and growing new feathers with all the resultant debris associated with this procedure. However, there are several forces which can bring a bird into a moult at any time of year, these include, changes in weather patterns, stress and heavy metal toxicity. Young birds also have differing patterns of moulting as they replace downy feathers as they grow bigger. Furthermore, if you experience heavy rains at any time of year this can affect the availability of dust-bathing sites for your birds and lead to a build-up of lice too.

A whole fluffy mass of dust-bathers in the greenhouse during the rainy season.

Which of my birds are most at risk?

The general physical health of a bird will affect whether or not he/she will be able to control his or her own lice population. An ill bird, in my experience, loses its will to preen long before it stops eating. Therefore, a lice infestation is also a good indication that a bird may be feeling unwell. Broken or damaged beaks or impaired eyesight will also impact on how well a bird preens itself, so if you have a bird with such a condition you should regularly check it for lice. On the emotional level, a bird with stress, depression or one which has recently lost a mate or sibling, can also be at risk from lice due to lack of preening.

 Inspecting Garbo for 'little visitors' 

In conclusion

Lice in effect are providing a service for your birds of both a dedicated cleaner and also as extra protein in the form of a handy snack! However, when food for the louse is plentiful and opposition limited it starts to multiply at an alarming rate leading to an infestation, which can impact on a bird's general health. As a general rule I would inspect all, ill, depressed or stressed birds for lice as well as checking all birds during the moult and or any periods of wet weather. In the next article I will look at how to treat them if infested.

And now if you'd like to, sit back and watch the film:



If you have any questions, observations or comments, please feel free to leave them below and if you found this article useful, then think about sharing it.

You can find Part 2 - Treatment with essential oils and prevention through diet here



All the very best,
Sue 

RELATED POSTS

Scaly Leg Mite Infestations What To Do Part 2

I look at the options both medicinal and nutritional for dealing with this microscopic mite ...read more

Scaly  Face Mite Infestations Treatment Part 3

If you haven't this miraculous substance already in your pantry then I advise you to get some, both for your own and your poultry's health...read more

Stress - When? Why? Whom? Identification, causes and those most at risk

Stress comes for all sorts of reasons to an organic flock and if not treated within 24 hours, if it's a bad attack, it can be fatal...read more

 

Common Poultry Lice  identification, life cycle and major infestation periods

Menacanthus stramineusare ectoparasites, thus living on the skin...with a short life span, which in adult form, is from 2 to 3 weeks read more

Common Poultry Lice - Treatment and Prevention

When you apply any sort of viscous carrier oil to a louse, the spiracles, pores through which it breathes, become blocked, however, read more

Ticks - Identification, life cycle and lifestyle 

I have to say right from the start the more I read about ticks the more confused I get. There is a volume of information floating about...read more

Ticks - Treatment and Removal from a pigeon's face

The idea of using Essential oil of Tea Tree is several-fold in that it has the properties of an anaesthetic, antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic and antimicrobial...read more

Comprehensive Guide to Red Mite Identification & Assessment Part 1

In the following two part articles I set out the information I used and protocols I created from reading through the available research...read more

Red Mite Part 2 Prevention & 3 Cures: Essential Oil, Fire, Steam

Because I have access to all three Fire, Steam and Essential Oils, I like to use a combination of all three but any one of them used alone ...read more

RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE
© 2014 Sue Cross