Mites and insects that inhabit buildings as well as bacteria, fungi, and algae appear to have allergenic properties. The influence of house dust mites to the overall problem of dust allergies is not clearly known. Mite analyses were not included in Davies' report. The age of the dust also appears to be a factor in the degree of allergen activity. Hosts Mammals, particularly man, and in bird nests, and occasionally in bee hives.
Mated females live about two months.
A male may attach itself to a tritonymph female and mate when she reaches the adult stage. There is a general agreement that house dust mites in the home feed on shed skin of man. The average individual sheds 0.5 to 1.0 gram of skin daily. Spieksma et al . Both male and female adult house dust mites are globular in shape, creamy white and have a striated cuticle.