Stoat killed hens asleep in the Eglu

[Staffordmum]

I recently purchased a bag of Feathers & Beaky Free Range Chicken Treat for the girls. Shortly afterwards, OH noticed red mite on the Cube

 

Today I gave the whole Cube a thorough cleaning and treated it accordingly (smells wonderful BTW!). I was just filling the feeders when I noticed red mite in the aforementioned bag of food

 

Is it possible this is the way it came in? this is the first time we've experienced red mite ...

 

Also, does this render the food "useless"? I have justed dusted it with some Diatomaceous Earth powder.

 

Have a great w/e everyone

 

Kind rgds,

 

Pat & Steve

[Redwing]

How strange! there is such a thing as grain mites (not sure of proper name) could it be them?

 

I don't know enough about the processing and bagging of feed to know if red mite could be present, hopefully someone will have a better idea, sorry.

[Staffordmum]

Bumping this up in the hope of some more response

 

Thanks Tasha - they were definately red mite - the reason the Cube was given a thorough "deep" clean (a task I strangely "enjoy" ) in place of the usual ...

 

Hoping for a sunny day in the garden

 

Kind rgds,

 

Pat & Steve

[abwsco]

Have never heard of red mite in food Assume they were all grey in colour as they wouldn't have been full of blood from a feed.

[Egluntyne]

I've never heard of this before either. Could it have been Red Spider Mite?

[sandyhas3chucks]

which ever it is O do believe the neem powder will sort it out, according to their bumpf

[Staffordmum]

I've never heard of this before either. Could it have been Red Spider Mite?

 

Now you've got me wondering - especially since someone else suggested they would've have been "grey" and not "red" in the bag!

 

I checked the Cube again today and they're still about - despite the cleaning

 

Perhaps OH was mistaken - how earth can you tell the difference between a red mite and a red spider mite

 

Many thanks,

 

Pat & Steve

[abwsco]

Red mite are also not much bigger than a pencil dot really so I find also fairly hard to see.

 

Maginifed pictures of them here

[Egluntyne]

Red Spider Mite