Categories
MitesDung Beetle?
I think this is a female Rainbow Scarab, Phanaues vindex. I live in Naples, FL, the extreme SW corner of Florida. I was working outside when she flew or crashed into my forehead. The shot of her belly appears to show something, fungus, other insects, parasites…I don’t know.
Bob
Hi Bob,
You are correct, sort of. This is a female Rainbow Scarab, but the Mites are not parasites. We believe they are hitching a ride (phoresy) on the Dung Beetle as it flies to a fresh pile of dung. Dung also attracts flies and we believe the mites probably prey on Maggots, the larvae of the flies. We hope Eric Eaton can confirm this. There is a wonderful macro photo of the Mites identified as the order Mesostigmata on BugGuide.
Related Posts
- Rainbow Scarab (February 14, 2004)
- Male Rainbow Scarab (August 4, 2007)
- Rainbow Scarab (October 30, 2007)
- Female Rainbow Scarab (April 22, 2009)
- Rainbow Scarab (August 9, 2009)
Comments 1
The mites are probably a species of Macrocheles (family Macrochelidae). These phoretic mites commonly ride on dung beetles. They feed primarily on nematodes and fly eggs/larvae. – Barry
Posted 04 Dec 2008 at 5:29 pm ¶Post a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.