Please help identify strange white bugs!

[Tats]

Found some strange-looking white bugs all over our Shetland's (leather) saddle. Presume they must be larvae of some sort, they are tiny in size, but there are hundreds of them that look like white dots and if you look very carefully you can see them all moving. The saddle was by an open bag of coarse mix that hasn't been used for a while so I wonder if they came from there. They seem to be spreading as well to the other side of the tack room, and makes me feel itchy just thinking about it! Just wondering if anyone else has come across such things and could advise what they are and how to get rid of them?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Tia]

Sounds like Flour Mites to me. Don't use the feed whatever you do; best thing is to throw it all out.

 

[K9Wendy]

Had an infestation last year, feedroom very warm and a contaminated bag of feed and BOOM we were heaving!! Yes they are flour mites. My feed merchant recommended that all feed contaminated or not was disposed off and the bins washed out in an insecticide, as ordinary detergent does not kill them. It will be worse in summer so best to tackle the problem now.

The feed that was contaminated was returned to manufacturer (just a sample) and they refunded the cost.

 

[Tats]

Thanks, glad to hear I'm not alone. The tack room is pretty cold though. Are they biting creatures do you know? Can they cause probs with humans? I was worried they would be like headlice and spread via my daughter's riding hat...
Any recommendation for insecticide?
Food will be summarily disposed of!
Thanks again.

 

[spaniel]

You need to have a really good scrub out. Remove all you can before you start and dump any open feed. Dont sweep first but instead use a good disinfectent (like Virkon) and sloosh all your walls and floors with it so you are washing away any further bugs. If you sweep first you end up spreading them about.

The answer to forage mites is, Im afraid, good hygeine. A big infestation will actually smell....its a sweet honey sort of smell and one that often reminds you of feed rooms from years ago. Its not unpleasent but that smell is a giveaway!