Barn swallows and bird mites

[Simkie]

I LOVE the barn swallows. They do such a good job on fly control and they’re so cheery and I love that my barn hosts more pairs every summer.

But the mites are out of control this year. There have been mites in the past (not nearly this bad) so when the birds leave in the fall, I pull down their nests and dust the rafters with poultry dust to hopefully break any cycle of bugs. But that’s definitely not been enough this year.

What do others do about this? I have a barn cat, so do have to be careful with the permethrin/pyrethrin products. The first batch of babies are probably fledging in the next week. We usually see three sets. I don’t want to kick out the birds but the mites HAVE to go.

[enjoytheride]

Mites on what?

[Simkie]

Bird mites. On everything. The swallows bring them in, they reproduce, they’re all over the barn.

[Living_In_The_Sticks]

Elector PSP & you can get it from Valley Vet. I think the second dose is done in 10 days after initial application. It’s only harmful to pests, if the nests are empty while they’re out eating, apply it there also.

It’s not cheap & I haven’t used it on my chickens or coop yet. I’m seriously considering using it in the barn to see if it also helps with flies. Once you mix up a batch use it all immediately because it won’t stay active long term.

[endlessclimb]

And if you have bird nest near any opening in your house (windows, doors, dryer vents), they will cheerily enter your abode.

They freak me right TF out. I won’t allow nests for this reason, honestly. I don’t have answers. Tempo dust? Bifen spray, keeping the cats out until it dries? Cyzmic spray, keeping the cats out?

[LCDR]

I have never thought about mites since I have never noticed any. Maybe I do not know what to look for. But every summer I always have lots of bird nests in the barn rafters. I do have a fly misting system, though, with the downward facing nozzles well below the height where the nests are, so perhaps that controls mites. Also, maybe my birds choose to nest higher up in the rafters to avoid the spray.

I am not about to stop using the misting system though. I am more concerned about spiders than flies or birds. It is so nice not to have spider webs in the barn.

[endlessclimb]

The baby birds will get so uncomfortable and eaten up, that they will often jump out of the nest.

This is my experience with mites. They’re so gross.

[Simkie]

@Living_In_The_Sticks

Elector PSP

THANK YOU! I actually have a spinosad product in hand already so mixed that up and sprayed. Nests all have babies, so sprayed around, above, under and on the landing surfaces next to the nests. Along with all the rafters, uprights and stall walls.

Gawd I hope this makes a dent. I’m not sure why this year is SO bad.

And yep, @endlessclimb, already had one baby dead on the ground, just covered in mites. Not nearly old enough to fledge.

@LCDR I would think your misting system does address the mites, too. I use fly predators, so keep fly spray out of my stalls. But if this repeats, will def have to rethink.

[candyappy]

@endlessclimb

The baby birds will get so uncomfortable and eaten up, that they will often jump out of the nest.

This is my experience with mites. They’re so gross.

I have lots of swallows nesting in one barn. There have been several times that i have felt like something is crawling on me . I looked closely and they were almost microscopic, brown and all over my hands and going up my arms and on my shirt. Tons of them. It about drove me nuts as I could feel them.

I just washed my arms/ hands off and they were gone( thankfully) but I wonder where I picked them up at and are those bird mites?

[Simkie]

@candyappy

I just washed my arms/ hands off and they were gone( thankfully) but I wonder where I picked them up at and are those bird mites?

Yes, those are bird mites from the swallows.

They fall on you from above or transfer from the vertical surfaces or from the ground. My dog’s feet were covered with them yesterday.

[endlessclimb]

My friend allowed a bird to nest near her front door and she needed professional help to get them out of her house. They’re horrible and they give me the jeebies. Frankly, it makes it where I want to knock down every bird nest I see in the barn.

[Simkie]

We’ve had swallows in the barn every year, and they’ve never been a problem. They nest only in the barn. While I’ve seen mites in the past, it’s usually pretty minimal…nothing like this year, where I’ve got them on me if I touch anything in the barn.

The swallows provide a huge service in bug control and I have essentially zero flies until they leave in late summer. They’re protected under the migratory bird treaty act, so even if I wanted to remove them, I can’t at this this point.

I’m not sure what the deal is about this year–maybe it was the mild winter? Ticks are also awful.

[endlessclimb]

They are! I’m eradicating some problem chipmunks, the one I caught today had no less than 7 ticks on him. Gross.

I refuse to go in the woods at the moment.

Tiny creepy crawlies looking for blood straight squick me out!

[Living_In_The_Sticks]

Last year we had a pair by the back door & let them raise 1 clutch before taking down the nest. This year we have 2 pairs on the back porch & one on the front. I took down at least 6 nests on the front porch & finally gave up.

Thankfully none in the barn & I’ll get screens for the doors next year. Probably doing that for the porches too. The pairs on the back porch dive bomb me every time there’s a clutch. I’m at the barn multiple times a day so they have to go somewhere else.

[candyappy]

@Simkie

We’ve had swallows in the barn every year, and they’ve never been a problem. They nest only in the barn.

Same for us and I have never had mites before. I just love the babies and to be honest the number that actually survive is so minimal I could never deliberately kill them once I notice the nests.

The other morning it must have been feeding time as all the nests were full of shrieking , open mouthed baby birds. It was deafening!

[Texarkana]

What are you looking at? June 2020, my then infant’s “barn playpen” completely covered in bird mites after being set up in the aisle for less than an hour. I had actually packed it back up into its case before realizing it was covered- this was them crawling out.

I have been scarred for life after that summer.

[Simkie]

I can FEEL this picture. Shudder.

[OnAMission]

We have 5 cats now coming down from 9 and we have always used the whack out of permectrin II in the house, outside the house, in the barn, on the animals and chickens, I’ve even powdered cats with it before I knew that was a nono (that cat lived to be 20). Cats are checking out at the age of 20 with no issues other than old age. I’d spray the upper parts of the barn with permectrin for premises at the very least. YMMV of course. We got straw mites one year and that went on for a very long time, such a creepy pain!

[TheJenners]

Well add that to the list of things I hadn’t thought about and am now horrified by, thanks.

[Simkie]

I…do not have that sort of luck. Lol.

The spinosad spray has made a huge difference. I came back the day after spraying all the high stuff and hit stall fronts, latches, door jams…all the stuff I touch.

Here’s the product, if anyone else is having a year like mine. I really think it must have something to do with the mild winter.

https://a.co/d/7aw3xW7

It’s a lot cheaper than Elector PSP. @Living_In_The_Sticks I had this to use on my chickens for mites, just do the math for the same dose as Elector.

If I have to spray again, I’m just going to load up the field sprayer and hit every interior surface I can. My backpack sprayer is kind of a POS. Bringing the tractor in with the big sprayer will be a lot easier!