What is Dermanyssus Gallinae?

Known as Red Mite, Poultry Red Mite (PRM), Roost Mite or Chicken Mite, the Dermanyssus Gallinae is an Ectoparasite, a parasite that feeds on the blood of its victim.

The Poultry Red Mite is naturally transparent in color before feeding but turns red after feeding. It is nocturnal (active at night) and hides away during the day. Its adult size between 0.6-1mm. chicken mite does not spend its entire life on the host. Chicken mites lay eggs where they hide, in areas such as cracks, crevices, and litter. Females lay eggs in clutches of four to eight, generally laying around 30 eggs in their lifetime. The entire cycle can be completed in as few as seven days (Fig. 4). Poultry mites are very hard to exterminate. The adult are known to resist desiccation and live as long as eight months without feeding (Chauve 1998).