Bird Mite or Rodent Mite
Scientific Name: Ornithonyssus sylviarum / Dermanyssus gallinae
Order & Family: Order: Mesostigmata; Family: Macronyssidae / Dermanyssidae
Size: 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm (nearly microscopic, about the size of a period at the end of a sentence)
Natural Habitat
Found in environments where bird or rodent hosts nest, such as attics, eaves, or chimneys; can migrate indoors when hosts leave.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophagous (blood-feeders); they feed on the blood of birds, rodents, or occasionally humans if their natural host is unavailable.
Behavior Patterns
They are highly mobile crawlers that become active after host birds fledge or rodents die. They cannot survive long-term or reproduce on human blood alone.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include intense itching, skin irritation, and dermatitis from bites. While they do not transmit diseases to humans, they cause significant discomfort and require professional pest control and host nest removal.
Identified on: 1/11/2026