The adult female mite is 0.4 mm long while the male mite is 0.2 mm long.
Copulation occurs in a small burrow excavated by the female mite.
The fertilized female enlarges the burrow and begins egg-laying. About 50 eggs are laid by each female mite during its life span of 4 to 6 weeks. The mite shows a preference for certain sites to burrow. They tend to avoid area with a high density of pilosebaceous follicles. Infested patients harbour an average of 11 mites.