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Animal profile

European House Dust Mite

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus

ArachnidaMattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture and carpets in heated human dwellings

Field profile

The European house dust mite is a translucent arachnid roughly a quarter of a millimetre long, invisible without magnification. It feeds on shed human skin scales and the moulds growing on them. Its faecal pellets are among the most important indoor allergens worldwide.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2025-03-20

European House Dust Mite

Dust mites never drink and cannot survive dry air

House dust mites take no liquid water. They absorb water vapour directly from the air using a salt solution secreted by glands in the mouth region, which means humidity, not cleaning, is the variable that decides whether a population survives.

Read with evidence →

European House Dust Mite | Daily Animal Facts