House dust mites, due to their very small size and translucent bodies, are barely visible to the unaided eye.
Dermatophagoides farinae fungal food choices in 16 tested species commonly found in homes was observed in vitro to be Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Wallemia sebi, and they disliked Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus versicolor, and Stachybotrys chartarum.
[9] A mated female house dust mite can live up to 70 days, laying 60 to 100 eggs in the last five weeks of her life.
[12] Detectable dust mite allergen was found in the beds of about 84% of surveyed United States homes.
[14] House dust mite antigens are strongly associated with asthma development and severity; they are estimated to contribute to 60–90% of cases.