In the past, various methodologies have been used to kill mites. The easiest and foremost way is washing your possessions by soaking them in hot water. Several other methods have been suggested, but does lime kill mites?
Yes, lime kill mites. Lime is a common name for the chemical compound calcium hydroxide. You can use this basically to target the soil mites. Lime is readily available, and you must sprinkle some of it on the soil.
In this article, we will read more about the properties of mites and how lime can be solely used to kill them. We will also explore other options for controlling the mite population.
Lime-Sulfur At A Glance
Lime can also be used in combination with some valuable elements like sulfur. The sulfur acts as a concentrating agent. This combination is powerful in killing mites and well as prevent fungus. A garden hose or a sprayer can sprinkle this mixture in the soil.
Sulfur is an element with anti-fungal properties, but when it is used in combination with lime, it also acquires the properties of killing mites. It can seep deep into the soil and depart its properties.
There are pros and cons to the use of lime sulfur as well. Sometimes, it can make the soil too dry, losing its moisture content. Moreover, it can make the other insects sick in the ground, and your soil may lose all the fertility it previously had.
What Does Sulfur Do To Mites?
Sulfur kills mites. It is a distinct animal and has been used by pest controllers in making many pest-resistant compounds. The element has a wide range of properties and has proven effective in treatment strategies.
Sulfur is also used for treating canine scabies/ sarcoptic mange in dogs. Mites initially caused this disease. Sulfur’s working mechanism involves the disruption of cellular proteins present in the mites. This way, the mites suffer from irreparable damage.
Soon after being exposed, the mites start to die out. When sulfur is used in combination with lime, it yields better results. However, you have to take the surface on which you are applying it under consideration.
How Do You Make Lime Sulfur Solution?
The lime sulfur solution can be made by the following method:
- First, you need to boil water in the pot
- Then, add lime to the hot water
- Constantly stir the mixture
- The lime will dissolve in water after some time
- Add the sulfur paste to the hot water while continually stirring the mixture
- You need to calibrate the level of water once you have completed pouring
- Decoct the mix for about 40 to 60 minutes till the liquid appears to be red-brown in appearance
- Lastly, you are required to filter the solution
You can now fill it in a sprinkler and start spraying it to get rid of mites.
How Long Does Lime Sulfur Take To Work?
The best results have been seen within the first 15 to 20 minutes. All you have to do is spray the area that has mites in it. Once the mites have been covered in lime, you should start waiting.
After fifteen to twenty minutes have elapsed, you should wash the mixture off with clean water. You can get the water supply from the hose that is present in the water. By that time sulfur will have done its work correctly.
Sulfur is famous for its quick action properties and yields quick results. For those of you who have severe mite problems, you should definitely go for the sulfur-lime solution. Your worries will go away in no time at all.
Still, if you suspect that all the mites have not been wiped, you should just add lime to it again and repeat this frequently. Constant exposure will eliminate the mites altogether.
Hydrated Lime And Its Repelling Properties
Hydrated Lime is also known as calcium hydroxide. It is mixed with water and can be sprayed over the soil. It acts as an essential pesticide and has been used by many people in the past to repel mites away.
Hydrated Lime is not as strong as simple Lime or lime sulfur, but it can be used as a repelling agent. Not only is it used for driving the mites away, but it also comes in handy for getting rid of other insects and pests.
The hydrated Lime can be applied in the same manner. All you have to do is add it to the garden hose or fill up a spray bottle. It is better to utilize a hose on a large garden scale as it can be sprinkled everywhere.
Does Lime Kill Red Mites?
Red mites are famous for their blood-sucking abilities. When they attach to the skin of turkeys and chickens, they start sucking on their blood.
Their prevalence is more in warm and mild temperature conditions. Humid conditions provide the mites with the best conditions to breed and grow in number. The proliferation rate is exceedingly high. The greater the population is, the harder it gets to treat mites.
To stop the population of mites, you can apply lime. The best results were observed when lime sulfur medication was used. The population drops too low till it is eliminated. You can restart the treatment if you suspect the presence again.
Does Barn Lime Kill Mites?
Barn lime is crushed-up limestone. It is calcium carbonate in its chemical composition, but its physical appearance is slightly different. This particular compound has a lot of agricultural advantages.
It can target the mites in the soil and help you get rid of them. This way, your plant vegetation will be saved from mite attacks, and you will have a higher yield of the products.
Not only this but the quality of products will also be maintained.
Barn lime is commonly available in the countryside and is used to get rid of the ammonia smell. The farmers use it to get rid of the livestock smell. Using lime in such areas where the animals reside also gives you an edge in getting rid of possible mite infestation on the skin of animals.
Will Lime Kill Mites On Chickens?
Yes, lime will kill mites on chicken. Chickens often get mites from the dust bath by rolling themselves in the sand. These mites stick to the surface of the chicken’s skin and start sucking on the blood.
The mites can be a massive problem for the poultry as the chickens fall sick to this infestation. However, there is a way by which you can treat your chickens and help them get better again.
The chickens’ feathers can be cleaned by using lime. All you have to do is apply the dry powder available in the market to the chicken. Many people believe lime will harm chickens, but that is not the case. Soon enough, the mites start dying and are no longer visible on chickens.
Does First Saturday Lime Kill Mites?
First Saturday lime is a commercial product, and it is widely used on animals with external exo-skeletons like fleas, ants, cockroaches, beetles, spiders, aphids, ticks, mites, and lice.
The manufacturers took a hydrated lime and converted it into an insoluble version. This made it inactive in the sense that it was not able to show any reactivity with moisture and initiate a reaction.
In the end, the manufacturers successfully created a lime with a longer shelf life and proved an effective insect repellant. The Saturday lime is safe to use for humans as well as for animals.
Wrapping It Up
There are several kinds of mites and each one is capable of causing an infestation in the places it inhabits. It can be food, animals or even soil Lime exists in various forms but each one is capable of killing the mites and reducing their proliferative numbers to a minimum.
Many other conventional methods are there to treat mite infestation but the use of lime or lime sulfur has proven to be fruitful. It produces results in little time. The side effects are minimum and it can make your infestation problem go away in no time at all.
References
Sh.H.Tuhtaev, M.I. Artikova, A.A. Ilyasov, & Sh. Norboeva. (2022). SULFUR PREPARATIONS AND THEIR ROLE IN REDUCTION OF DANGEROUS SPIDER MITES IN COTTON PLANTS (IN BUKHARA REGION). The American Journal of Agriculture and Biomedical Engineering, 4(03)
