HIDDEN HOUSE HORRORS

They look like aliens from some futuristic Hollywood blockbuster.

But these ugly bugs have already invaded your home.

These are  mites, flies and fleas that lurk in our carpets, sofas and kitchen cupboards.

They include the flour mite - a revolting bug that infests packets of pasta, flour and bread bins - and the dust mite which thrives in furniture, curtains and carpets.

Another one is a  house dust mite - a bug that is normally harmless but which can trigger allergic reactions in people suffering from asthma.

Even your breakfast is not safe from the microscopic pests under your nose.

The minuscule flour mite - with its long hairs and large, powerful front legs -  contaminates cereals and grains, particularly if cupboards are not aired properly.

Once the mite has infested a kitchen, the only solution is to chuck out all the potential sources of food, and then put replacements in sealed containers.

Also a fan of your Cornflakes is the red flour beetle, who enjoys cereals, biscuits and even pasta.

And pet lovers have an added army of miniature foes to battle against. The cat flea - seen here in its favourite furry environment - makes a pet's life a misery.

The line up also includes the daddy-long legs spider. Not to be confused with the crane, this spider can be found on ceilings, in garages or in cellars in several countries around the world.

Other hidden horrors are the silverfish, a fast moving bug that loves the cupboard under the sink and the red flour beetle - a pest that arrives in your home in bags of flour.

Have a look on some details of these hidden house horrors:

HIDDEN HOUSE HORRORS:

HOUSE DUST MITE

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus

Feeding on human skin and crumbs of food, dust mites live in mattresses, carpets, furniture and bedding. Up to 10 million can live in one mattress. The bugs are 0.4 mm long - making them just visible with the human eye. A single female lives up to 70 days and lays up to 100 eggs. A single mite produces around 2,000 droppings. They are usually harmless, but can trigger allergic reactions.

SILVERFISH

Lepisma saccharina

The primitive silverfish has remained unchanged for millions of years making it a 'living fossil'. Around half an inch long, they are often spotted in sinks or bathroom cupboards. They eat book glue, paper, photos, sugar, coffee, hair, carpets and dandruff. and can live one year between meals.

FLOUR MITE

Acarus siro

Mainly a pest in flour mills and grain stores, they sometimes find their way into homes where they live in  flour, grains or cheese and need humid conditions to survive. A single female lays 500 eggs or more - sometimes as many as 25 a day. Infected food has to be destroyed and dry food close by destroyed.

COMMON HOUSEFLY

Musca domestica

The most common of all flies have one pair of wings and eyes composed of 4,000 image forming facets. A female lays 500 white eggs which hatch into maggots within one day. They can feed only on liquids and spit out saliva on solid foods to predigest it before sucking it back in.  They also vomit up partially predigested food and eat it again. Flies pass on diseases by landing on animal waste, picking up bacteria and then landing on food.

BLUEBOTTLE MAGGOT

Protophormia terraenovae 

The larvae of bluebottles hatch from eggs laid on dead animals and humans - and the stage of their development can help police identify when someone died.  They are used in medicine to clean wounds . Once place in a wound, the maggots feed on dead tissue and leave healthy tissue untouched. Their saliva contains anti-bacterial chemicals which keep wounds sterile. The maggots have 12 segments and grow up to 1cm long.

DADDY LONG LEGS SPIDER

Pholcus phalangioides

Not to be confused with crane flies, or daddy long legs, the spider preys on other spiders, injecting them with venom from its fangs. Native to the tropics, it has spread around the world and now lives in the UK. Its legs are up to 5cm long - five to six times longer than its body. Some species have eight eyes, others have six. They weave webs in dark and damp crevices.

SO, THINK ABOUT THEM AND TAKE CARE.