If you're being bitten by tiny, almost invisible mites in a Brooklyn bedroom or office, and there's a bird nest anywhere near the roof, bird mites are the likely cause. Treatment means dealing with the nest itself, carefully and in a targeted way, and then treating the rooms the mites have moved into. Treating the bedroom alone doesn't work, because the source is still above you.
Why bird mites are common in Brooklyn
Bird mites live on birds and in their nests, feeding on the chicks. Brooklyn's older roofs are full of places for birds to nest: gaps under curved or shifted roof tiles, the space behind gutters and fascia boards, holes in eaves, old air vents and the tops of downpipes. Pigeons, mynas and sparrows are the usual nesters. Trees close to the house give birds more reasons to stay.
The problem starts when the chicks leave the nest, or the nest is abandoned. The mites, now without a host, spread out looking for food and crawl through ceilings, light fittings, air vents and cracks into the rooms below. They bite people, though they can't survive and breed on humans for long. That's why bites often appear suddenly, in one room, near a window or under a roof section with a nest.
Signs it's bird mites
- Itchy bites, often at night, sometimes with a crawling feeling on the skin
- Tiny moving specks, smaller than a pinhead, on windowsills, walls, light-coloured sheets or desks
- Bites concentrated in one room or near one window
- Bird activity at the roof: birds flying in and out under tiles, droppings on walls, nesting material in gutters
- Bites starting soon after nesting birds have left
Mistaken for bed bugs, and the other way round
This is the most common confusion we deal with. Bird mites are often treated as bed bugs, and the bedding is treated repeatedly while the nest in the roof keeps supplying more mites. Bed bugs are larger, visible and leave dark spots on mattress seams. Bird mites are tiny and come from above. If you can't find any signs on the mattress, read our page on bed bugs in Brooklyn to compare, or see our guide to biting insects in Brooklyn.
How we treat bird mites
- Find the nest. We inspect the roof, gutters, eaves and vents around the affected room to locate active or recently abandoned nests.
- Targeted nest treatment. We treat the nest site and the surrounding area to kill the mites at the source. Where nests are removed, the area is treated too.
- Treat the affected rooms. We treat the rooms where people are being bitten, especially around windows, vents, ceiling joins and light fittings.
- Close off the nest site. We tell you which gaps to seal so birds can't nest there again.
The mistake that drags it out
Removing the nest and stopping there. Pulling out a nest without treating it releases the mites, and they head straight into the house. Removal and treatment have to go together.
A Brooklyn tip: watch the roof in spring
Look at your roofline in spring, when birds start nesting. If you see birds going in and out under tiles or behind gutters, deal with it before the chicks hatch, by having the gaps closed with bird mesh or the right fittings. For older roofs with curved tiles, the ends of the rows along the edge are favourites, and closing them is a simple job for a roofer.
Offices and embassies
Bird mites in an office can be very disruptive. Staff get bitten at their desks and suspect each other, the carpets or the air conditioning. For converted buildings with old roofs and lots of birds, we can include a roof and nest inspection in a regular service.
What does bird mite treatment cost?
It depends on how many nests there are, how easy they are to reach, how many rooms are affected and whether nest removal is needed. A single nest above one bedroom is a small job. Several nests on a large old roof with mites spreading through an office takes longer. Bird mites usually won't go away on their own while the nest is there, so DIY is rarely enough.
See our bird mite control in Pretoria for more on how we work, or bird mite treatments in Lynnwood, where older roofs cause the same problem. Our Brooklyn pest control page covers the rest. One Stop has 25 years behind it and is registered with SAPCA. If the mites come back within 3 months, we'll come back. Ring 012 012 5526, or WhatsApp us a photo of the roof or the specks.
Questions we get asked
Can bird mites live on people?
No. They bite people but can't complete their life cycle on humans. Without birds to feed on, they die off fairly quickly.
How do I know the mites are coming from a nest?
Bites in one room, near a window or vent, and birds nesting in the roof nearby are strong clues. We confirm it by inspecting the nest.
Should I remove the nest myself?
Not without treatment. Removing a nest releases the mites into the house. It needs to be treated as it's removed.
Why do the bites start after the birds leave?
Once the chicks fledge or the nest is abandoned, the mites lose their food source and spread out looking for a new one.
Do you treat the bird?
No. We treat the nest and the mites, and advise on closing the gaps so birds nest elsewhere.
Is it bed bugs or bird mites?
Bed bugs are visible, live in beds and leave dark spots on mattresses. Bird mites are tiny, come from above and are found near windows, vents and ceilings.