Mold Mite

Natural Habitat

Found in environments with high humidity and mold growth, such as damp basements, kitchens, bathrooms, or stored food products like grains and dried meats.

Diet & Feeding

Primarily feeds on mold, fungi, and yeasts; they also consume protein-rich or fatty stored food items like cheese, seeds, and dried fruit.

Behavior Patterns

They reproduce rapidly in warm, humid conditions. While they are often noticed as a 'moving dust' when populations explode, they have a simple life cycle consisting of egg, larva, protonymph, and adult stages.

Risks & Benefits

They do not bite or sting humans, but their presence can cause skin irritation ('grocer's itch') and allergic reactions or asthma in sensitive individuals. They are considered pests as they contaminate stored food supplies but benefit the ecosystem by breaking down fungi.

Identified on: 1/15/2026