If you see little spots crawling around your living area, there may be a sign of a clover mite invasion. Having clover mites inside your house can be a problem. These pests hide inside cracks on concrete and can damage your property. Even though these arachnids are harmless, their red stains are challenging to clean. We have drawn out some home remedies and techniques for you on how to get rid of clover mites on concrete.
Understanding What Clover Mites Are
Clover mites belong to the arachnid family, and they are harmless to humans. A clover mite’s size is just as small as a bean. However, their distinctive red body is easy to spot. The good news is they do not feed on pets, humans, or any of your belongings. They might move inside your home for a couple of months until the outside temperature is suitable.
Clover mites prefer cool temperatures and dry environments. They are quite sensitive to changes in weather, especially extremes. That is why you will see them indoors more often in the early spring or the end of fall. As a reminder of its favored accommodation, you will find them on cracks from concrete walls and sidewalks or somewhere near window sills and curtains. Moreover, their extensive population can be harmful to your garden or lawn.
It is also important to note that they are difference than concrete mites. So before treating them, make sure to know how to identify concrete mites vs clover mites.
The main food supply for clover mites is the vegetation growing on gardens and lawns. The most attractive plants are clovers, trees, ornamental plants, and shrubs. Besides that, fungi, compost, and other types of organic matter are also on their preferred food list.
Though clover mites do not significantly damage plants, they can do so if there is an extensive infestation. From here, plants will start wilting or have stunted growth. When you see brown or darkened patches on your lawn and yellow vegetation, clover mites could be the leading cause. Your indoor plants might also be a perfect hiding place for the mites. So, if there are any specific signs of their turn up, use an indoor-safe insecticide in these areas.
How to Get Rid of Clover Mites On Concrete
1. Minimize Clover Mites’ Food Source
The primary food source for these clover mites are grasses, clovers, and weeds. They multiply and lay their eggs on soil, especially over-fertilized soil. The first thing to get rid of clover mites is to cut down on the fertilizer. Do not over-fertilize your lawn, and follow the instructions on how much you should fertilize to lower the likelihood of the mites’ appearance.
Lawns around your home’s foundation increase the chance of having the infestation. The grass acts as the food supply and the main roadways down to your house. It would be best to dig up any grass or foliage within 24 inches (61 cm) around your area. The space between your home’s foundation and vegetation acts as a prevention from these mites moving into your home. This is also a great fix for how to get rid of lawn mites as well.
2. Planting Clover Mite-Repellent Flowers Or Shrubs
If you are a flower lover and want to save your plants and home from these pests, you can kill two birds with one stone with this tip. Replace any nearby lawn with mite-repellent flowers and shrubs like roses, marigolds, petunias, junipers, spruces, and zinnias. As an alternative, you can also lay a strip of rocks or groundcover that creates a barrier for the mites to prevent them from getting to your house. These safety methods help reduce the chance of infestation.
This is also a great way for how to get rid of clover mites on concrete naturally as it does require using any harsh chemicals.
3. Spray Insecticide to Your Yard and Your Home’s Foundation
Your lawn is the paradise for clover mites to flourish. If the mite population’s out of control, you need chemical intervention to tackle the mite problem. Dilute the chemical with water and use a sprayer to get a consistent and well-distributed application. Read the instructions on the label to know how much liquid you should add to get optimized results. Afterward, use a cleaning machine or vacuum to pick up all the dead mites. You should avoid crushing them because their red tint could leave a stain.
Coating your house with exterior control insecticide creates a preventive shield from these bugs. You need to spray at least 24 inches (61 cm) high from the ground, and you should repeat the process multiple times to get the best results.
To ensure effectiveness, early morning and evening are the best times to use insecticide. These insecticides are available online and at big-box stores or home depots.
4. Check Potential Entrances
Concrete mites take advantage of crannies on concrete, windows, doors, even the tiniest gaps to get into your house. To avoid this from happening, check around your home for possible areas where mites might enter. Check the entry points and sprinkle talc, diatomaceous earth, or baking soda into these places.
The powder will diminish the sizes of any opening spaces, and the mites will struggle to go through them and invade indoors. You can use silicone caulk as a substitute to seal up any holes or cracks in the foundation or the walls. These tiny spaces are the ideal area for the mites to lay eggs.
How to Get Rid of Clover Mites Indoors
1. Temporarily Keep Houseplants Out Of Your House.
Once they are inside, clover mites may be attracted to your potted plants as this will be their food source. Check around the area to find any red stains to address the mite’s position. Keeping your potted plants outside for a while could help reduce the infestation. Be sure to do this first before taking other strategies, or your efforts will be in vain.
2. Use Your Vacuum Cleaner
If you find clover mites annoying, an effective sweep-out tool for these pests is a vacuum machine. All you need to do is vacuum up these mites and put them into a bag. However, you need to seal the bag thoroughly and throw it immediately; otherwise, they can crawl out easily. Then throw the bag far away from your house. Vacuuming the surroundings is a must as not to miss out on all the mites and eggs that are not visible.
3. Use Duct Tape To Capture Clover Mites
Place strips of duct tape where you suspect the mites might be. Once having adhered to the tape, the mites will soon die. Take the duct tape covered with dead mites out, or dispose of them in your garbage bin, be careful not to crush them. After that, lay another strip to remove the remaining entirely. It would be better to use Saran wrap to have broader coverage. Make sure to do it at least twice a week because the mite’s size and its eggs are relatively small, so the first strip will never be enough.
4. Spray the Clover Mites With Insecticides
Indoor-safe insecticides such as diazinon and permethrin are effective against these mites. Moreover, bifenthrin and chlorpyrifos can also help turn down an indoor invasion. It is essential to spray directly at the mites and carry on until they are gone. Nevertheless, insecticides can kill mites in large quantities; hence, it is not the optimal choice, especially if you have children or pets.
Since the chemicals inside these insecticides are not good for your health; hence keep this as the last result. Moreover, if there are other things that you can do or keep on doing to prevent the infestation without using chemicals, continue doing so.
5. Use Boric Acid
Boric acid is a fatal chemical substance to clover mites. It might sound unfamiliar to you, but in fact, the compound is commonly used in laundry detergents. If you do not have boric acid, you can use laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid as a substitute. Spread it over your furniture or where you think the mites might thrive.
When the mites are exposed to the chemicals, they will eventually die, and you can vacuum them up. If you use liquid cleaning products, you can dilute them with water. Pour the mixture into any container that will help you dispense the liquid evenly.
6. Protects Pets From Clover Mites
When these pests hang around your house, they will more or less reach your pets. In this case, you need to give your pet a thorough bath. Using insecticidal soap would help to wash away the clover mites that might have clung to their fur. You can order online or buy directly from a pet store or even a gardening supply. Before purchasing, you should check the label and ensure it is non-toxic to pets. Some soaps might not be safe for your pets and cause skin problems.
Now you know how to get rid of clover mites on concrete by following our tips. Do not panic if you notice one or two clover mites inside your house. Prevention is always the first step, so take measures to stop the clover mites from entering your home. If there is already an infestation, the best you can do is prepare yourself and follow the steps above.
The first time might become a little overwhelming, but sooner or later, you can get the hang of it. It is a long-term process that needs patience and effort. Try every technique until you figure out which strategies work best for you and match your situation well. However, in the worst scenario, if you feel that all your efforts are in vain, it is time to call professional pest control and let them handle it.
