Question
Hi I hope you can help.  We live in Miami FL. on a lake and the lake bed is receding due to a lack of rain.  We are seeing more mosquitos and gnats outside, but in the past couple of days I have noticed little microscopic white bugs crawling in my house.  They are so small that they look like a moving piece of lint. They are about the size of the periods at the end of these sentences. I tried to look at one up close, it was round, and moved very slowly in a crawling way. I have only seen about 5 or 6 but one was on my FACE! Can you tell me what they are, and what to do about them please. I am kinda freaking out.  We have two pets inside our home a turtle and a bird. Thank you in advance.

Answer
Dee,

Your description sounds like grain mites, also called mold mites (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/mites.html for a drawing). These mites feed on mold and are common in warehouses where grain is stored (hence the two common names). They are also common where mold grows in houses such as occurs with a water leak. When they occur in kitchens it is often a leaky sink or dishwasher. If you are seeing these in one particular room check around for dampness or other sources of mold. Post a follow up if you have questions.

Jack DeAngelis