Also known as the cheese mite of the species Tyrolichus casei, phylum of Arthropoda and family of Acaridae.  A parasitic arthropod phylum having a segemented body and jointed appendages that is commonly found on the surfaces of grains, flour, cured meats and cheese.  Cheese that is infested with the mites will apopear to be covered in a fine gray dust that is their dander and excrement.  Their life cycle is between 15 to 18 days under the environment of 23 degrees C and 87% humidity.  These parsites are considered to be a vermin in the food service industry and are known to cause a mild form of dermatitis and can inflame asthma and dust allergies.  Control of the mite can be done by adjusting environmental conditions such as storage temperature and humidity levels and taking sanitary steps to clean surfaces and emptying bulk containers completely before refilling them. 

The female mite can lay 500 to 800 eggs in her life time, at a rate of 20 to 30 per day.  If the dust of the mite is exposed to the skin it can cause a contact dermatitis or inflammation of the skin.  Dermatitis comes in many forms, usually it involves swelling, irritated and an itching area on the skin.  Also if mites are taken internally they will cause stomach disorders.


 (Image of Acarus spp. or cheese mite on surface of cheese.)