Ok. So I had an infestation yesterday. They were EVERYWHERE! Sadly, I had my mealworm colony in my house so yep, my house was infested. I quickly put my colonies outside in the sun, then after work went and got some split peas and a cheap coffee grinder. Made some flour and sprinkled it all over the table and bookshelf the colonies were on and went to bed. today it's a green powdery mess, but haven't seen a single mite today. I sprinkled the flour on my carpet and surrounded the places the mites were. Worked it into the carpet fibers then sprinkled a perimeter on top of the powder i worked into the carpet. I will add the pea flour to the colonies outside before I bring them in. I'm so glad I found this video. I was freaking out when I noticed the mites. I believe they came from the carrots I placed into the bins. I've used the same grain for months without incident. But the mites appeared a few days after the carrots were placed into the bins.

@MidwestMealworms

4 ай бұрын

Kudos for tackling the problem, the mites are soooo frustrating!

I have super worm, meal worm, and dubias roach colony's being kept in a closet and didn't even know about grain mites. Just found them tonight while collecting pupae and thank God I did. They didn't spread to my darkling beetles or dubias roaches. Just the little bit of meal worms and super worms that were fully grown. Thank u for the video, this will be an easy save

Thank you! 😮

Thank you sooo much. I just threw away millions of both superworm eggs and regular mealworm eggs. But at least I saved the rest of my year of hard work with your suggestions. Ty

Thanks for the info. I HAD a horrible outbreak of mites. I put them out side in the sunlight for 4 hours. 70 degrees for 2 days and knocked out most of the mites . They are gone. :) I will be adding pea flour.

@MidwestMealworms

9 ай бұрын

Sunlight, that's a great technique, can I add that to my page here? Midwestmealworms.com/pages/mites

@emilyerickson609

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tip! tried it yesterday. It was only in the 40's but had full sun. After a few hours all the mites had turned brown and blown into a corner. Dead as doornails.

Thanks for sharing!

Very informative 👏

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Time for me to buy pea flour.. thanks for this very informative video

Verv helpful, thank you!

@MidwestMealworms

9 ай бұрын

Lots more coming on mites, had an outbreak 4 months ago....

@-ChrisD

9 ай бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms 👍🏻 Sounds good

Thank you.

Wow, thanks that's an interesting solution. From reading the paper it seems like grain mites might not like the protein in the peas.

@loveyourlife2930

10 ай бұрын

Which protein? May you send the link to the paper please because I really want to know

Yessss! I have also been infested 3 times! And I remember exactly what happened each time. My DE barrier didn't stop them this last time. I fed my darklings some repashy morning wood jerky and looked at it the next day & it was COVERED in grain mites. I always look for them too. 🤦‍♀️ so, I started using that to bait them but they're just not going away. They're in my isopods now. I was looking into a mite destroyer but came across your video. Gonna try the pea flour! Wish me luck!

@andrewcarroll2044

9 ай бұрын

Hey how did you get on trying the split pea flour?

@cmsmith2077

9 ай бұрын

@andrewcarroll2044 hi! No, I haven't but I still plan on it. I have my bins inside box lids with DE. I am upgrading all my enclosures soon so I will be using the pea flour then. I'll definitely let you know!

@franciscorodriguez-zb8uq

8 ай бұрын

did it work?@@cmsmith2077

Thats so funny since I think it came from the chickpea flour. Thanks for the tips!

Thank you! and thanks to @michaelyciano2123 for the sun suggestion. I don't have any split pea flour but I could at least put them in the sun today. Will be getting some split peas after work to make some flour. Cant wait for delivery. So many mites!

I'm dying over here trying to clean up this infestation. Wish I knew this before lol

@MidwestMealworms

4 ай бұрын

Mites suck, but they can be defeated!

Ahhh come on! Wherr was this video last week when i needed it LOL. Jokes aside, i found what i believe to be mold mites on my aroid plants. I threw every insecticide, miticide AND sulfer fungicide at them. Needless to say a few days later all the leaves burnt to sh#t haha. Pea flour would have been safer, AND cheaper. And im gonna go buy some tomorrow. Thanks!! Question, my freezer is not at 0 but its 3 degrees, still not cold enough??

@MidwestMealworms

Ай бұрын

Yes, I'd think at 3 it will still do the trick. Might have been late to this video but you're here now. Check out my playlist on how I tackled my last outbreak of mites that happened in 2023.

These can apear in sofa and other places where there might be grain based products such as rice, pasta bread. I'm finding them hard to kill and they seem to survive being spared with 70% alcohol, because I have sprayed the same wood furniture multiple times and yet as soon as it drys there back seemingly unfazed.

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

Split pea flour is usually food grade for humans, so safe for us to be exposed to it. Have you tried putting down split pea flour? I'd try it in my house if I had this problem.

Could you put a picture of how the split quisante flower is packaged, please, I'm from Mexico and I can't find it here

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

Here's an amazon search that shows various packaging, but also shows what the product physically looks like. amzn.to/3g4itwe - affiliate link, thank you for your support!

How long would you say to leave the pea flour sprinkled on your floor for? I put down some diatomaceous earth today, but will try this pea flour as well. Seems I brought a bag of Rabbit food home with mites and now I have a moderate Infestation.

@MidwestMealworms

10 ай бұрын

as long as needed to kill the mites. I just had an outbreak a few months ago, first one in the new building. I documented it, am uploading and will post the playlist asap. For my most recent outbreak, I left it down for 2 weeks. After a week it looked finished, but I left it down out of an abundance of caution.

I have grain mites in my kitchen food pantry. Any advice on how to get rid of them from my existing food? I have already thrown out a lot of food, washed lots of other food that were sealed. But i still see some on those sealed items. What do I do? And how do I keep them away?

@MidwestMealworms

2 ай бұрын

I don't have experience with them in food. Maybe deep freezing the food could work?

Hey great video I have a small question I have some in my bed room I think they have come from my mario worms bedding in the small tubs I bought from the pet store am I able to just sit a tub of that split pea flour where there are and will they seek it out ? Will,it work the same thanks for the advice

@MidwestMealworms

9 ай бұрын

No, they don't seek it out unfortunately.

@andrewcarroll2044

9 ай бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms ah ok thank you any other advice to help get rid of ?

@MidwestMealworms

9 ай бұрын

@@andrewcarroll2044 midwestmealworms.com/pages/mites

Where do you get your mealworm tubs?

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

Beekenkamp from the Netherlands. I sell them in quantities up to 50, for larger quantities I recommend Tricycle.eco. If you want a free quote, email me at Justin@midwestmealworms.com

What do you think about ozone generator in the place where you store substrate? And also humidity of 50% should also kill mites, correct?

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

I'm not familiar w/ an ozone generator or how that would impact substrate storage. The lower the humidity the better, I think they'll still linger at 50%.

@Maattme

Жыл бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms thank you very much! I do some tests with ozone generator. Can keep you updated if you are interested. About humidity after keeping it at 50% for ca 2 weeks and distributing carrots to mealworms every other day, all of the mites are no longer around while mealworms seem ok. But I also used pure petroleum jelly on edges and it kept them insode of the tray.

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

@@Maattme yes, if you post some videos on it I'll give them a watch!

@karlopopovic810

4 ай бұрын

The lower the humidity the better? How about some uv lamp exposure? Those are notorious for dessicating everything. Not sure how the worms would take it though..

That’s great that it does not affect the worms. I just ordered some because I have a horrible outbreak right now. I hate to lose my colonies. Do you know if it will harm the mealworm beetles, superworm beetles or dubia roaches? I wasn’t sure if it is harmful to their shell? Thank you

@MidwestMealworms

3 ай бұрын

I haven't seen negative impacts to the beetles, it's likely they may be irritated by the powder but I don't recall them dieing from it. I don't have experience with the split peas and roaches / superworms, I'm sorry.

@lisabrian12304

3 ай бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms thank you much appreciate your response

@johanpluym3928

22 күн бұрын

Hi, did you try this with dubia roaches? Any success ?

@lisabrian12304

22 күн бұрын

@@johanpluym3928 Yes and it worked great. Did not harm or disturb my roaches at all.

How long does it take to kill the outbreak after adding the flour?

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

It's not immediate, if you add other things like removing all moisture and lowering humidity, should be a week and you'll see diminished amount of mites. But, this will ultimately depend on how bad the outbreak is.

Hey do you know if pea flour is safe for jumping spiders? Mine have grain mites that I can not get rid of so really would love to try the pea flour

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

I'm not sure, I've not heard of anyone trying it on spiders.

@willowmoonstone6746

Жыл бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms yeah I think if it kills the mites, it may well not be good for spiders 😩 thanks for getting back to me!!

@nataliepowell4806

Жыл бұрын

No don’t use it in your spider enclosures, mite are related to spiders so what kills the mites will kill your spiders. It usually happens when you have to high a moisture so just let the enclosures dry out and wipe them away when you see them. I also use springtails which will compete with the mites for food and win! Hope this helps x

@carkilllim

9 ай бұрын

​@@nataliepowell4806what about terrestrial isopods?

How often do you need to add the split pea flour to a bin?

@MidwestMealworms

7 ай бұрын

If being proactive, anytime you add substrate. If being reactive, depends on the severity. I only reapply of they get worse or I find a "hot spot" with a lot of the mites.

So I wonder if this would work on horses… we have had a grain & mold mite problem here for a year & of course it’s now inside

@MidwestMealworms

4 ай бұрын

I don't know whether this would affect the horses, maybe check with some veterinarians?

does this affect isopods and springtails? i have them in my geckos enclosure and they are annoying they always cover my geckos food and he stops eating

@MidwestMealworms

7 ай бұрын

I don't have any experience with those insects, I'm sorry.

@FusionDeveloper

6 ай бұрын

I don't think it is harmful to isopods and some isopod foods have it in it. Some isopods are meat eaters, some are vegetarians and some are omnivores. Mites are spiders, so I would avoid feeding yellow split pea powder to any pet spiders.

Would Chickpea flour work too? I own a leopard gecko and have had an outbreak of grain mites with my nealworms due to the fact I put them in oatmeal (not the best, but it's what I have on hand), and don't have a local store that actively sells Split pea flour without having to order.

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

I don't know if that would work, I've only ever used split pea flour.

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

Here are some other things you can do: midwestmealworms.com/pages/mites

Do you know how or why pea flour kills mites? Very interesting that it does. I've battled mites for years, but in my case it is on plants, so I know how mites can be difficult to eradicate. I'm thinking about raising superworms, basically for fish bait... so this is all new to me.

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

I'll dig up the research study that was published, see what it says.

@GreenVedder

Жыл бұрын

​@@MidwestMealworms did you manage to find that research study?

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

@@GreenVedder www.researchgate.net/publication/244484947_Efficacy_of_pea_flour_as_an_antifeedant_against_two_stored-food_mites_Acari_Acaridae_fed_on_dried_medicinal_Chinese_herbs?fbclid=IwAR3ZEFVigkxIwubQush-Sfb63IaRErzlbG7WEvMINAJfhVVRe4Rm5gqJWOE

@katherinebonsol6854

Жыл бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms Thank you for the article.

@Hanaconda_Aquaponics

9 ай бұрын

Thankyou so much for this advice.

if the product is not available in my country (italy), can I create it myself by buying peas?

@MidwestMealworms

Ай бұрын

I buy split peas and grind them myself, much more cost effective. But, they are HARD, need a good grinder.

@giorgioruggerozanolini2363

Ай бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms I may have found a supplier here in the area, but is 10% enough to kill all the pests? or do I have to repeat the process? currently the whole farm is infested, I spend hours vacuuming them off the floor and the edges of the boxes

@MidwestMealworms

Ай бұрын

@@giorgioruggerozanolini2363 it may take weeks and many treatments, yes. Check out the playlist I have for a mite outbreak in 2023. I show how I dealt with it, how to apply the pea flour to make "moats", etc.

Would yellow split pea flour work too?

@MidwestMealworms

10 ай бұрын

Maybe, I haven't tried it personally. I can't remember if the study that tested this had a color of green/yellow mentioned. Check it out here: cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0508/5364/2395/files/201411Efficacyofpeaflourasanantifeedantagainsttwo.pdf?v=1663437118

If I treat my colony with pea flour and then feed a worm to my tarantula, it's that going to cause any issues to the spider?

@MidwestMealworms

2 ай бұрын

I honestly don't know, I'm not experienced with tarantulas. Perhaps a vet may know?

I already put a petroleum jelly layer on the rims of my bins to keep them in, I don’t want them moving onto other places. I wipe away whatever I see on the walls of the bin and flush them away. But thanks to this video I know how to get rid of them and not work at the messy jelly and wiping. My question is, can I use this split pea flour in the beetle bin? I would hate to lose all my eggs. Please advise.

@MidwestMealworms

9 ай бұрын

I have not seen a negative impact on the beetles when used on/with them. I dont think it injures/hurts the eggs either.

@terinakamoto5425

9 ай бұрын

@@MidwestMealwormsthank you, I had to order it for now, none here locally. Hopefully I can control it till it arrives

Do yellow split peas work? I found yellow split peas, if I grind them to make flour will it work?

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

Yes.

@AOmar-hm7pw

Жыл бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms thank you. Will organic shelled peas also work?

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

@@AOmar-hm7pw I'm not sure, but I would think so.

Does it matter if it is yellow peas or green peas?

@MidwestMealworms

4 ай бұрын

I don't remember for sure, check the study I linked here: midwestmealworms.com/pages/mites

Will any types of pea work against mites?

@MidwestMealworms

9 ай бұрын

I don't know, the study I saw was specific to split peas.

Crazy I thought they were pieces of egg carton chewed off I seen it about 2 weeks ago then today I look in my closet and see white powder on everything and it was some white looking mites really tiny. Crazy I had to wash everything and insect spray didn’t kill them. Sifted the bins I only have three but there was alot of mites

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

Mites are resilient little pests!

Why does the pea flour kill the kites but not the worms? Will the worms be dangerous to feed my Leo if they eat the pea flour?

@MidwestMealworms

2 ай бұрын

Read the study linked on my website for the Why question, it may have the answer. midwestmealworms.com/frass I have no experiences with reptiles and split pea flour, I'm sorry.

@katastrofygames

2 ай бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms I saw the paper on pea flour’s effects. It seems that it is not toxic to the feeders but toxic to the mites because legumes are toxic to mites in general. Apparently if I use this method it could cause sickness in my reptile. So I am unsure if it is a viable method or not for me.

I unknowingly gave my reptiles a few mealworms with a few grain mites on them. Think they’ll be good?

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

I don't know much about reptiles, I'm sorry.

@Supra_Na96

Жыл бұрын

Hey! I can answer your question! Grain mites won’t harm the worms or your reptile! They are really more of a PITA than anything. For humans, they can make people who have breathing problems like asthma have flair ups, but otherwise, they won’t harm your babies :)

@cmsmith2077

Жыл бұрын

Your reptiles should be fine but I would be worried about getting an infestation in your tanks. Did you try the pea flour?

Is the split pea flour safe for superworms as well?

@MidwestMealworms

8 ай бұрын

I can't remember if I've used it with superworms, I'm sorry!

@andrear7945

8 ай бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms No worries. Thank you for your response nonetheless.

Would this work for a dubia cockroach colony too ? Is splitpeaflower safe for dubia's ?

@MidwestMealworms

22 күн бұрын

I don't have any experience with roaches I don't know. I'm sorry.

@johanpluym3928

22 күн бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms going to test it out then 😉.

Will split pea kill my isopods

@MidwestMealworms

8 ай бұрын

I don't know, I don't have any experience with isopods.

I need help. My husband unknowingly brought mites in when he bought wheat meal for his mealworms. Problem is, i noticed the mites all over my house now from them! What do i do??? What pesticide will obliterate them? Please help 🙏🙏🙏

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

I would contact a pest control company, I've never dealt with them in my home before.

My superworm beetles got slammed recently thanks so much, they die tomorrow

I guess we may heat up the wheat bran in a container before use it to kill all mites eggs

@MidwestMealworms

3 ай бұрын

That's one way, yes. I put mine in the deep freeze for 48 hours.

What about weevils?

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

I haven't run into those yet, I'm not sure.

@twowheelfarm9024

Жыл бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms Apparently I stored some animal feed to close to my farm and now I have both.... I think I am going to have to toss everything. Hundreds of dollars lost.

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

@@twowheelfarm9024 I'm sorry, that's terrible!

Pea flour is ridiculous expensive. But just might be worth it in large scale? I would think they eat and it being toxic??

@MidwestMealworms

5 ай бұрын

I buy split peas in 25 lb bags and grind it. It's super hard, need a good grinder. It kills the mites, no negative impacts to the mealworms.

My question is are the grain mites detrimental at all Do they eat eggs or kill adult Beatles or worms Can't find any info anywhere All I can find is how to get rid of them I'm curious

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

Yes, they ate detrimental. They'll kill the entire colony.

@agaimless3724

Жыл бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms can you use this method for superworms too?

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

@@agaimless3724 I haven't tried it with superworms to see if it is safe for that species. It would be an interesting test.

@rubyparlane8337

Жыл бұрын

@@MidwestMealworms how will they kill the colony?

@MidwestMealworms

Жыл бұрын

@@rubyparlane8337 I'm not sure what actually kills them, if the mites are eating them or starving them out. I presume eating them, bc mealworms can last a long time without nourishment.

Dust mites took my family and kids damn them to hell

Anyone here tried this technique on fruit fly cultures?

@MidwestMealworms

3 ай бұрын

I haven't heard of that yet.