General information
The grass mite, which is often also called autumn mite, hay mite or autumn grass mite, belongs to the class of arachnids. Its six-legged larvae live parasitically and infest mainly dogs, mice, cats and in rare cases also humans. The human skin disease caused by them is also called harvest scabies or trombidiosis.
The grass mite occurs worldwide and shows different distribution patterns depending on the location. In Europe, grass mites are mainly found in the summer months from July to October. A preferred habitat are meadows and gardens.
What do grass mite bites look like?
The bites of the grass mites are usually not noticed directly. They are painless and are often not noticed until hours later, when the immune system reacts to them. This reaction looks slightly different for every person.
Some people hardly notice any skin changes, while others show violent reactions. In general, small reddening of the bite areas occurs a few hours after the bites. They are usually only 1-3 mm in diameter and are punctiform.
In some cases, raised skin lesions, called wheals, appear above the skin level. They can be up to 1 cm in diameter and are very itchy. In very sensitive people, the wheals extend to areas where there are no bites.
Grass mite bites as such are difficult to distinguish from other insect bites or stings. Ultimately, they can only be assigned to the grass mite if their appearance is considered in combination with the course of their development. If the skin symptoms are preceded by an extended walk in the field or a hard day of gardening, grass mites are very likely to be the cause.
The location of the bites is also an indication of the grass mite. The grouped bites are mainly found on warm and damp parts of the body, such as the genital area, the armpits, but also on the legs, arms and shoulders. Furthermore, the areas under tight clothing such as the edges of socks, the waistband of pants or underwear should be checked.
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