Dust Mite
Scientific Name: Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
Order & Family: Sarcoptiformes; Pyroglyphidae
Size: 0.2 to 0.3 millimeters (nearly invisible to the naked eye; requires a microscope for identification)
Natural Habitat
Indoor environments, particularly mattresses, upholstered furniture, and carpets that provide warmth and humidity.
Diet & Feeding
Scavengers that feed primarily on flakes of dead human skin (dander) and mold found in dust.
Behavior Patterns
They prefer dark, warm, and humid conditions; they do not live on humans directly but reside in fabrics where they can find shed skin cells.
Risks & Benefits
They do not bite or spread disease, but their waste products (feces) and body fragments are major triggers for allergies and asthma in humans.
Identified on: 1/2/2026