Do mites fly

[nicolenadia]

I've never had mite issues, but last night when I put new soil in my monitors enclosure, I noticed tiny gnat like bugs flying around.....so I removed it all and scrubbed it down. Now I'm worried about soil. He likes to burrow, so I will have to replace it. Hes on paper towels today.

Thanks everyone!

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[ssjsmits]

Nope. (In terms of them flying)

[razeraze]

No but the wind can spread mites.
SpringerLink - Journal Article

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[Stargazer]

I've heard they have a 6-foot wing span and 4" fangs. Is this not true?

Seriously, sound like those are not mites. Mites are tiny little dots that are hard to see with the unaided eye. They are probably just gnats, and I wonder if they came from the soil.

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[haloedsatan]

If your seeing anything flying, it's probably time to change the bedding. If it can sustain any insects you might as well change it before something unwanted gets in there.

[John_White]

One can sterilize soil by microwaving it for a few seconds (depending on the microwave's power). To sterilize larger quantities of dirt wrap in tin foil and bake it. A dirt temperature of 250° F for 10 minutes works great. A gas grill also makes a good dirt baker.