Red mites in my hair!

[aart]

Does it discourage them once you get them under control, or maybe work if the mites are actually immersed in it? or is it just a con?

I don't believe so.
You could test that, get some live mites in a small jar, add tiny pinch of DE, see if it kills them.

 

[Tavs]

I don't believe so.
You could test that, get some live mites in a small jar, add tiny pinch of DE, see if it kills them.

OK I will do the test and report back!

 

[Tavs]

I just found androlis bio control - a predator mite that eats red mite. I ordered some to put on the birds that are still crawling with them.

 

[BantyChooks]

Does it discourage them once you get them under control, or maybe work if the mites are actually immersed in it? or is it just a con?

I don't think anyone tries to falsely say DE works when there's no evidence, but I also think most of the time it does indeed not work.
My crazy theory—with nothing at all to back it up—is that there are some parasite populations it does work on. People have documented successful results. Then there are other populations (seems to be more common) that it does NOT work on. Also documented. One person on here (I forget her name) found lice crawling around by the dozens in a layer of DE in the bottom of her nesting boxes, not even slightly dead. It's not that much of a reach to assume that the thickness of parasitic exoskeletons is variable and can be unintentionally selected to greater and more resistant thicknesses. Permethrin, being an entirely different and more potent substance, kills even those tougher bugs, leading to the eradication that is wanted. I need to do some research and independent experimentation to see if this idea holds any water or not.

On a microscopic scale, DE does seem like something that could plausibly work on external parasites. As a feed through worm treatment, well, that just sounds like bunk, unless everything I know about water as a solvent is wrong.

 

[Tavs]

I don't think anyone tries to falsely say DE works when there's no evidence, but I also think most of the time it does indeed not work.
My crazy theory—with nothing at all to back it up—is that there are some parasite populations it does work on. People have documented successful results. Then there are other populations (seems to be more common) that it does NOT work thickness of parasitic exoskeletons is variable and can be unintentionally selected to greater and more resistant thicknesses.

Yes makes sense. I've met people who say it works. Not for my mofos. On the permethrin starting today. Thanks for this. Interesting stuff. One study found thyme essential oil killed 45% so will use that but that does mean that will stop working eventually. Also ordered androlis predators for next week. No resistance to them but my ignorance has led me to spread them over a wide area while dismantling the coop so the androlis will probably only work at close range.

 

[aart]

OK I will do the test and report back!

Take pics all along the way.

 

[cmom]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cluster-Fl...=Pest+Expert&qid=1564753554&s=gateway&sr=8-24

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cluster-Fl...5Y4NT7V8EMV&psc=1&refRID=TCNJ38A2V5Y4NT7V8EMV

 

[Tavs]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cluster-Fl...=Pest+Expert&qid=1564753554&s=gateway&sr=8-24

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cluster-Fl...5Y4NT7V8EMV&psc=1&refRID=TCNJ38A2V5Y4NT7V8EMV

Thank you!!

 

[cmom]

I did some research for permethrins in the UK. Almost impossible to find. Here in the US it is also used for fly control on cattle so I did a research for fly control and found some as I posted from Amazon.

 

[cmom]

It doesn't say anything on the label for use with livestock or poultry, but it would probably work for spraying inside your coop thoroughly all cracks and crevices where mites can hide as well as on and under the roosts, ceiling, walls, floor around the nest boxes.

Most of the stuff available over there seem to be DE which isn't very effective.