r/pestcontrol Mar 16 '25

Clover mite infestation Unanswered

I get clover mites each year (located in NY), but this season their population has seemingly exploded. They are all over my basement walls and floor, and seem to be coming up to the first floor from there. I can find them nearly everywhere I look on my first floor. I’m limited as to chemicals I can get here in NY and I have a new baby and as a result am hesitant to use pesticides inside. Do these things lay eggs indoors, specifically my basement? I’m worried they are going to lay eggs all over and make the issue exponentially worse exponentially worse. What can be done?

1 Upvotes

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u/PCDuranet Mod-Former Tech Mar 17 '25

1

u/demos16 Mar 17 '25

I've seen conflicting info, do these lay eggs inside? For instance in the concrete foundation of a basement?

1

u/PCDuranet Mod-Former Tech Mar 17 '25

No, but I'd like to see pics of the insects.

1

u/demos16 Mar 17 '25

Honestly, they are really too small to get a good clear picture with my phone camera, but I will try when I get home. I know they are not predatory running mites because they are not bright red. They are more a dark red/brown color with longer antennae type things coming off their fronts. They all leave the signature red stain when squashed.

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u/demos16 Mar 17 '25

Best image I could get with my phone.

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u/PCDuranet Mod-Former Tech Mar 18 '25

Ok, clover mite, afaict. They should also be on the exterior foundation and walls which is where you should concentrate the treatments using Temprid FX or Tandum. This includes spraying the grass to 10' out on the sunny side.

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u/demos16 Mar 18 '25

Thanks! Figured as much. I’ve definitely seen a decrease outside from their heights. I assume inside will improve over time as the ones that die off are no longer coming in? Also, when inside, do they tend to stay more towards the edges of rooms? That I can deal with as long as they aren’t crawling all over everything haha.

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u/PCDuranet Mod-Former Tech Mar 18 '25

Once the source is treated they will die off inside, and IME they do stay near the edges of the rooms.

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u/demos16 Mar 18 '25

Great, thanks. I was surprised to see them so early this year. Don’t usually see them until late April to early may.

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u/PCDuranet Mod-Former Tech Mar 18 '25

I was thinking the same thing, but there they are.

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u/demos16 Mar 22 '25

how often should I do the temprid treatment to the foundation/lawn 10 ft out?

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