Bird mites everywhere!

[4horses]

The wrens decided to nest on my porch. Unfortunately I found out too late to evict them and now we have bird mites all over. I looked at my hand and had 100 of them all over my arm.

What can I spray on the birds themselves? I threw out their nest and gave them a new one but that didn’t really help. The mites are still everywhere.

I’m thinking 1 drop of cattle ivermectin per baby bird? I don’t want to kill the baby birds but they are crawling with mites. I sprayed diluted ivermectin on the new nest as they are so infested.

I have a couple days before the babies are flying so not much time. Once they start flying they will probably deposit mites all over the porch. I don’t want mites on my tack!

[endlessclimb]

This right here is why I knock down every single nest that isn’t in a tree far from my house.

Maybe diatomaceous earth??

[Simkie]

Spinosad. Elector PSP.

A drop of ivermectin is a LOT for a baby bird measured in grams, but you might be able to dilute.

[4horses]

I used to rehab baby birds for a friend with a bird rescue and never had an issue with mites so I was a bit shocked by how many they have. My friend has since passed, so unfortunately I can’t ask her what she used for treatment.

[chestnutmarebeware]

There are bird-safe sprays sold at pet shops. You can spray them on the birds directly, nests, surrounding areas.

But I’m not sure how the smell might affect wild birds feeding nestlings. It could make the adults abandon the nest.

[Texarkana]

Not much advice, but a lot of commiseration. I used to rent an old barn that would turn into a horror film with mites this time of year.

This was before I learned about @Simkie’s spinosad recommendation. That’s what I’d try if I had the problem now. At the time, I could only treat the accessible surfaces (too many nests, too hard to access in the rafters). I used diatomaceous earth, neem oil, and cedarcide with limited success.

[Mosey_2003]

Definitely Elector PSP (spinosad) if you can get it. If not, Garden & Poultry Dust (permethrin) should work too.