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Article: Minute Creatures Raise Mighty Concerns - Dust Mites in the Home.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- The World and I
- Article date:
- February 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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To give our readers a background on dust mites in the home, The World & I interviewed Larry Arlian, an entomologist specializing in research on these mites. Arlian is a professor at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
W&I:Professor Arlian, tell us something about dust mites that inhabit our homes.
L.A.:House dust mites primarily live in carpets, sofas, easy chairs, and mattresses. They also inhabit bedding, pillows, and clothing. Their primary food is skin scales that are shed by the human body and accumulate in these high-use locations. Humidity in the air provides the source of water they need to survive. Adult mites live 30--100 days, depending ...