Expert for eliminating Augustus
Augustats, or crawling mites, are a common nuisance in the Var and Alpes-Maritimes regions. Belonging to the Acarina family, these tiny arthropods are often compared to small spiders because of their appearance. With an estimated number of species ranging from 30,000 to half a million, mites are characterized by their great adaptability, being present all over the planet, including Antarctica and the oceans.
The life of Augustats
Augustates, also known as “Silky Trombidion”, are microscopic crawling larvae. Females lay their eggs in the soil, and once hatched, the larvae wait patiently on the grass for a warm-blooded human or animal host to pass by. They then climb up the arms and legs to gather in natural folds of the skin, such as the groin or areas where the skin is compressed, like the belt. Despite their reduced size of around 0.25 mm, Augustats are capable of biting and injecting their saliva, which contains agents that facilitate external predigestion. Augustate bites are particularly annoying, causing persistent itching that usually lasts 5 to 6 days. They take the form of pruritic papules measuring 1 to 2 cm. Augustats multiply in large numbers in meadows, and are most active between July and September.