Meet the Dust Mites, Tiny Roommates That Feast On Your Skin
From Deep Look
Summary
Millions of dust mites live in mattresses and carpets, eating the flakes of dead skin we shed every day. Deep Look zooms in on these microscopic recyclers and the job they quietly do.
Viewer safety
This episode is about tiny creatures that live on people -- friendly and factual, but preview if your class might find it a little itchy to watch.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
Dust mites are microscopic relatives of spiders that eat tiny flakes of dead skin. Since people shed skin everywhere, mites thrive in bedding and dust. Their mouthparts and small size are matched to a food that's always around.
- What do dust mites eat?
- Why do dust mites live in beds and carpets?
- How do dust mites help recycle something we shed every day?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: dust mite, microscopic, skin flake, recycle.
Try it: Draw a bed with tiny dots for mites and skin flakes. Write what dust mites eat and why they live there.