Mites in bird seed

[exo]

Wasn't sure whether to post this in the bird or invertebrate section, decided here would be better.

Got a half used sack of expensive mixed seed & just appear to be getting some mites just at the
very surface, along with burgeonings of that sickly-sweet mite smell.

From what I can gather these are flour mites, a type of psocid, and don't act as bird parasites at all.


Biggest are under 0.5mm long.


Question is, is that true & is there any risk using this up a quickly as poss.,
or does it just add another form of protein for the birds ?


I can sprinkle the surface with extra aniseed seeds, close the sack tighter & when I look again
the mites seem to get far less at the surface than before, so maybe that inhibits them.
Read of someone using bay-leaves to kill /discourage them.

[triops]

Flour mites are harmless and would add (though slightly!) to nutritional value. They live in or on damp food, so to get rid of them just dry out the food.
Mites are mites, and not Psocids, which are insects and very different.

[exo]

I was wondering about that when I looked them up, couldn't see the similarity,
must have got mixed up about the info somewhere,
probably in a link with other grain eating pests that are insects.

Good to know they're not a problem to the birds then,
I'll just have to get them to eat it as quick as birdily possible
before it gets tainted taste-wise

Don't think I can think of a way of drying out 10+kg of seed,
another suggestion was freezing, but that sounds even more difficult.

cheers for the info