# Blasted grain mites.



## RubyTiger (Dec 12, 2012)

Ever since I received a fruit fly culture with a whole lot of grain mites in I've been spotting them in random places my 'phibs room -_- and I've had to chuck out a couple other cultures and an earthworm culture because they were in there. I then noticed the tiny white specks moving on glass of my fire salamander's enclosure. So I've disinfected and replaced substrate and now I've bought mite paper from dartfrog to put under my cultures and tanks and sprayed everywhere with mite spray and smeared Vaseline around the bases and legs of the units the tanks and cultures are on. A bit ott perhaps but I'm going to start making my own cultures now so want the little horrors to stay away from them.

Anyone else had this problem?


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Haven't yet, to my knowledge- but I only have a bean weevil colony- which seems to have died off. I'm hoping it's just a seasonal lull, though. Iron mongers used to sell mite papers, for larders and so on- but I'm not sure even the ones that still exist still sell them.
EDIT: Sorry, just seen that you've got the mite papers already- that'll teach me to read a post properly before posting myself, lol!


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## REDDEV1L (Nov 27, 2008)

I've had them turn up all over.
Main recent bugbear was them turning up in a bag of chicken layers pellets which even after microwaving, caused a mite explosion in my grower dubia roach tub.

I too bought some mitepaper from Dartfrog and made little cardboard 'holders' for my fruit fly cultures to stop them spreading from one to another (I feed my FF cultures on bananna so its prone to them apparently)

One things for sure... it works... as this pic of a forgotten about culture proves...


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

We feed alot of little darts we buy very very few starter cultures, and then we breed the hell out of those,buying stuff in is cool,the bloody free bees are not.
But it is very difficult to get a mite free culture and keep it that way.
If you buy new cultures keep them separate from your existing stock(cultures) and on mite paper untill your sure they are not bringing something choice with them:welcome:.
Don't worry about inbreeding from that one culture ,I'm a very firm believer in the beastie will adapt to your conditions better with each generation and become more productive over time,I'm about 3 1/2 years in with one hydie culture and a dwarf white woodlouce for that matter ,that one culture is still wonderfully productive,in both cases,only it numbers in tens now and feeds:whistling2:.
Mites are a constant pain, a damage limitation excersise,prevention is way better than cure.
I really hope you get this sorted,we all learn lessons the hard way,just be real careful about what you use around phibs to control an outbreak......real carefu!!!

Stu


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## RubyTiger (Dec 12, 2012)

soundstounite said:


> just be real careful about what you use around phibs to control an outbreak......real carefu!!!


Oh definitely I realise I said I sprayed _everywhere _with mite spray- to clarify I didn't mean it was used in or near my 'phibs enclosures just everywhere else in the house and on the surfaces where my cultures go. 
I would imagine the mite paper alone should do the trick :2thumb:


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## DrNick (Sep 20, 2012)

I wouldn't get too upset about the old mites. They're made out to be a nemesis to amphibian keepers worldwide but in reality they don't do much harm (beyond crawling up your arms and giving you an itchy face, and loosing you friends as a consequence...). They're also a good snack for smaller frogs.

Contrary to the five million threads you can read on the subject, they don't actually crash standard fruit fly cultures (they do dominate cultures that are crashing, however). Unless they get in your springtails it's not really anything to worry about - culture your springtails on charcoal and that's easily solved too..... Just moving to a home made culture medium would probably suffice if you are really overrun. One thing's for sure - it's really not worth sanitizing your entire house to try and get rid of them!!!

Nick


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## frogman955 (Feb 7, 2010)

I have to completely agree with Nick on this.


Mike


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

DrNick said:


> I wouldn't get too upset about the old mites. They're made out to be a nemesis to amphibian keepers worldwide but in reality they don't do much harm (beyond crawling up your arms and giving you an itchy face, and loosing you friends as a consequence...). They're also a good snack for smaller frogs.
> 
> Contrary to the five million threads you can read on the subject, they don't actually crash standard fruit fly cultures (they do dominate cultures that are crashing, however). Unless they get in your springtails it's not really anything to worry about - culture your springtails on charcoal and that's easily solved too..... Just moving to a home made culture medium would probably suffice if you are really overrun. One thing's for sure - it's really not worth sanitizing your entire house to try and get rid of them!!!
> 
> Nick


A thoughtful man, might ponder are all mites born equal,thus their effect on the humble fff culture might not be as simple as one would philosophize. 

Stu


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

soundstounite said:


> A thoughtful man, might ponder are all mites born equal,thus their effect on the humble fff culture might not be as simple as one would philosophize.
> 
> Stu


Buddha Stu has spoken...



:lol2:


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

ha that's a new one Ron:mf_dribble:,essentially I agree with Nick and Mike,but I think there might be some substance in some of those 5 million:2thumbI think that was the number) quoted threads,way beyond some folks learning the ropes.Naturally the usual lack of mite paper old cultures etc etc are all contributing factors to mites being a problem,but I wonder about why some seasoned keepers get hit ,with a big crash.We have also had one hell of a fight with a particular mite we inherited recently when we chose to get a slightly more diverse range of flies in. This experience, first hand, leads me to my ponderance.

I really don't think that the effects of all mites are equal I would urge all keepers to buy little and culture hard and also almost QT anything new, feeder wise.If one can get a strain going, at this point, I think that is the best way. My views might change,with more time and more knowledge,but somehow I don't think so.I've always been wary of getting stuff in,our experiences so far only back that
Stu


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## frogfreak (Jul 28, 2012)

I HATE mites! They make me itchy! :whip:

I don't mind a few grain mites in my fly cultures and ALL cultures have them. As a matter of fact, I toss old cultures into the tanks and will get a mite explosion! The frogs love em!

Springs, on the other hand, I have had cultures wiped out by mites. Stupid me didn't protect them. Another learning experience...:censor:

I'm currently building a spring and Iso *wing*, away from my fly cultures. :lol2:


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## frogfreak (Jul 28, 2012)

REDDEV1L said:


> I've had them turn up all over.
> Main recent bugbear was them turning up in a bag of chicken layers pellets which even after microwaving, caused a mite explosion in my grower dubia roach tub.
> 
> I too bought some mitepaper from Dartfrog and made little cardboard 'holders' for my fruit fly cultures to stop them spreading from one to another (I feed my FF cultures on bananna so its prone to them apparently)
> ...


What kind of mites are they?! They're huge!


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

frogfreak said:


> What kind of mites are they?! They're huge!


Mighty Mites.


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