Help with mites

[avacockroach]

Hello! I'm a new keeper and I cannot seem to keep mites out of my substrate for my grub, how much of a mite population is normal and how can I reduce that? I caught them on my little L2 larva today and I'm not sure what to do to fix it. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Bugboy3092]

Have you tried replacing the substrate? a lot of times that's the best way of dealing with it. There will always be some mites, but if you're seeing them covering surfaces then you're facing a population explosion.

 

[Eduardo]

“Too many” is subjective but they generally become a problem when they start clogging the larva’s spiracles and reducing substrate to inedible miniature particles, hence stunting growth. Seeing a few per inch of substrate I think is fine, and when they are a problem keeping the substrate slightly drier kills them before it does the larva. Sometimes keeping a larva for a few hours in a dry deli cup devoid of soil (assuming it’s not a stag) kills off mites, but it’s riskier.