Mite or Tick ?
November 19, 2009
i’ve finished my new Azureus tank a few weeks ago, and i’ve found, several times, during the last few days these bugs crawling around my water feature edges.
some info of whats in the viv:
NO Frogs In The Viv ATM !!!
few broms and some riccia starting to expand on the ground.
water feature of waterfall and a pond ( false bottom ). the substrate is a mix of Baltic peat and coco peat/shreds.
thats about it.
omer hauser
U.S.A
Unknown Mite
Hi omer,
We needed to do a bit of research just to understand your questions as you used so many abbreviations and words we did not know. Now we see you have set up a habitat for Dendrobates azureus, poisonous tree frogs, and that the plants are growing. This looks like a Mite to us. Not sure what though. Mites are not our specialty. Perhaps an acarologist will write in with an identification.
Egg sack carrying yellow spider – Manitoba
August 31, 2009
Hello. The enclosed photos are of a lovely spider we encountered on our walk on the boardwalk over Ominik Marsh, in Clear Lake, Manitoba.
It was about 1 inch long, yellowy, and as you can see it was carrying an egg sack (we think), and had either some sort of parasite or baby spiders on it as well – the red things.
Hope you can help with the ID. Thank you for your time, and congrats on the book.
M.M.
Ominik Marsh, Clear Lake, Manitoba, Canada
Wolf Spider with Eggsac and Mites
Dear M.M.,
This is a female Wolf Spider and she is carrying her eggsac. Additionally, she is transporting some red mites on her body. There are some Mites that are phoretic, and use larger arthropods for transportation purposes only, but we suspect your photo shows Mites in the genus Leptus and that genus is parasitic based on some BugGuide images. We of course would welcome an expert opinion on this matter.
What is this flying black bug with orange spots?
August 10, 2009
I’ve never seen a bug quite like this one, it flew into my house, and ended up landing on a washcloth, where I was able to get a picture. It was covered in tiny spiders so as soon as I got the picture I put the bug and the washcloth outside, but I’m still curious as to what it was exactly. It was 1-2 inches long, definitely had wings and three pairs of legs. Its antennae and legs were furry.
Thanks
Enumclaw, Washington
Sexton Beetle with Phoretic Mites
This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, but we cannot tell you the exact species. None of the examples posted to BugGuide illustrate four distinct red spots in a row across the elytra or wing covers. The Burying Beetle was transporting Mites, not spiders. The Mites use the Burying Beetle to travel from location to location, a phenomenon known as phoresy, in order to take advantage of flight to access a new food source. Burying Beetles will bury small dead creatures like birds or mice and lay eggs on the carcass. The young feed on the rotting flesh. The Mites feed on fly eggs and maggots, so phoresy is mutually advantageous to the Mites and the Burying Beetles. The Mites get a food source and the Burying Beetle benefits because more rotting flesh is available to its progeny. We will see if Eric Eaton can assist us in an exact species identification.
Update from Eric Eaton
Daniel:
I’m pretty sure this is just a variation of the sexton beetle Nicrophorus defodiens. It is highly variable in its markings, as evidenced by the individual specimens in the image gallery here:
http://collections2.eeb.uconn.edu/nicroweb/hatchabs/index.htm
I know I have seen very similar specimens from northwest Oregon, too.
Eric
Green Water Beetle?
August 9, 2009
Every year at my cottage me and my friends put together a small aquarium of insects and other animals that we find in our lake. This year we were surprised to catch something none of us had ever seen before. We thought at first that it was a baby Giant Water Beetle, but later on in the trip we caught another one identical to the first in an entirely different part of the lake. This lead us to believe that it was probably something different. I took some pretty good pictures of them before they were released and I was hoping you might be able to help us figure out what they were.
Max
Southern Ontario
Immature Giant Water Bug with Mite
Dear Max,
This is a Giant Water Bug in the genus Belostoma, and it is an immature specimen. Mature specimens have wings and can fly. Most Giant Water Bug images we receive are the much larger members of the genus Lethocerus. Your one image shows an orange speck on the right hind leg that appears to be a mite.
Immature Giant Water Bug
What’s ON that bug? Ranatra w/ orange bumps
Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 3:12 PM
I recently tracked down the ID of this odd insect in a local pond as a Water Scorpion (Ranatra spp.), but all of the individuals I’ve seen so far are covered in strange, orange bumps that do not appear to be “normal” or common. Do you have any idea what these might be caused by? The pond is next to the building I work in and appears to be the result of dam work by the local beaver’s union. There is plenty of food for these guys with damsel flies, tadpoles in the thousands and other small, crunchy things. The other wildlife in the area does not appear to be suffering from any apparent disease or sicknesses and the vegetation around the pond appears to be thriving.
Eric Snyder
Issaquah, WA 98027
Water Scorpion with Phoretic Mites
Hi Eric,
Congratulations on identifying the Water Scorpion in the genus Ranatra. That is not an easy identification. The orange bumps are Aquatic Mites. The Aquatic Mites often use flying aquatic insects to get from one body of water to another, a behavior known a phoresy. Some time back when we posted an image of a ToeBiter with mites, we got this comment from a reader.
Previous Comment on similar posting: Mites on the toe-biter?
Hi Daniel and Lisa Anne,
About the email on the Toe Biter from Tom on (01/27/2007) who talks about having 12 red mites on his Toe Biter? I remember seeing mites on aquatic insects, looking suspicious, and so I looked it up, and it turns out that *all* of the more than 5,000 known species of aquatic mites (Hydracarina) are partly parasitic. When they are larvae, aquatic mites are parasitic on aquatic insects, but as adults the mites become free-swimming and predatory. Winged aquatic insects, such as the toe biters, fly around of course, and that way the mites are spread from one body of water to another. You can read a lot more interesting stuff about them at:
http://www.tolweb.org/Parasitengona
And at :
http://www.tolweb.org/Hydracarina
Best to you as always,
Susan J. Hewitt
Red Fuzzy Bug of Southern Arizona
Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Dear WTB: I live in Cochise County of southern Arizona. We had our first real rain of the monsoon yesterday. This morning I went to feed my horses and found these little red bugs everywhere. They seem to be burrowing out of the ground. They are small, but some bigger than others. Some have white spots and some are all red. I watched one help another burrow out!!!! So what are they and do they bite!
Deni
Saint David, Arizona
Velvet Mite
Hi Deni,
These are Velvet Mites in the family Trombidiidae. According to BugGuide: “Larvae are parasitic on insects. Adults eat insect eggs.” BugGuide also indicates that there are thousands of species. The one with the white markings matches some images on BugGuide from the genus Dinothrombium which is reported from Texas and Arizona. According to Charles Hogue in his landmark book Insects of the Los Angeles Basis, our local representatives from the family are called Angelitos. Hogue writes: “There is probably more than one species of giant red velvet mite in the deserts of southern California. But at least one occasionally emerges in the dry eastern margins of the basin in large numbers, usually following a rain. These creatures never fail to attract attention because of their large size (the body length of adults is about 1/4 to 5/8 in., or 5 to 8 mm) and brilliant crimson furry bodies. The larvae are parasites of grasshoppers, and the adults are predators on subterranean termites. The adults remain in the soil most of the year and spend only a few hours above grouns, probably to feast on their prey, which also respond to rains by emerging in numbers. Little else is known of their biology.” From what Hogue writes, it would seem that the rain triggered the emergence in Arizona as well.
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Posted 02 July 2009
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Bronze Mite from Vasquez Rocks
Tue, Apr 21, 2009 at 4:07 PM
While hiking in the Vasquez Rocks north of Los Angeles, I saw an absolutely remarkable flash of bronze scurry over a rock. The image does not do it justice by any stretch of the imagination. Although very small, the totally metallic sheen on this guy made him stand out quite conspicuously in the bright sun. Would you happen to know what this one is? Velvet mites were everywhere but this one was much bigger; about 2.5mm in diameter. Thanks in advance!
Adriano
Vasquez Rocks, California
Unknown Mite
Hi Adriano,
While it looks different from the Velvet Mites or Angelitos we often get photos of, we suspect your unidentified Mite is closely related. Perhaps an acarologist will write in with a proper identification.
Unknown Assassin with unknown wasp while mites hitch a ride (aussietrev)
Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Hi guys,
Found this tableau on a grass stem. The only thing I know ID for are the red mites on the assassin bug. Both the bug and the wasp are quite tiny. Any ideas anyone?
aussietrev
Queensland, Australia
Assassin Bug with prey and Mites
Hi Trevor,
Sorry for the delay, but we have had a crazy busy week. While we agree with the Assassin Bug and Mites, we are unable to identify the species. We are not convinced the prey is a Wasp. It almost looks like another Hemipteran. We will see if Eric Eaton thinks Hemipteran or Hymenopteran.
Confirmation:
I agree with you, Daniel, the victim here is another hemipteran, something in the family Rhyparochromidae most likely.
Eric
Locust infected with mites?
Thu, Jan 1, 2009 at 8:48 PM
Hi guys,
This locust was very well disguised by colour and textures to fit in with the semi arid landscape and I only spotted it when it jumped out of my way. After processing the shot I noticed the little red attachments. Would they be some type of mite or some other parasite?
aussietrev
Capricornia region, Queensland
Locust with Mites
Hi Trevor,
Your Locust is in the suborder Caelifera and probably one of the Short Horned Grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. We are not certain if the Mites are parasitic, but that is quite likely. There are some mites that infest insects, but they are not parasitic. Rather, they use the insect for transportation purposes, a phenomenon known as phoresy. We are currently experiencing problems with images going live and hope to resolve this very soon.
What the…
Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 3:55 AM
Hello.. Can you please identify this bug that we have been finding around. We have found it crawling on our body, laptop screen and even in the bathroom.
Help is required
Australia, Melbourne
Tropical Rat Mite, possibly
Dear Help,
We believe you probably need a true specialist for this identification, but we are leaning toward the Tropical Rat Mite, Ornithonyssus bacoti. We first located an image on BugGuide, but it is very tiny. Then we found a wonderful informative website on Biting Mites in Homes. The website states: ”
Rat and bird mite infestations occur in structures where rat or bird nests are located. Infestations are sometimes first noticed following extermination, or after the natural hosts have died or left the structure. Infestations may also occur where heavy mite infestations have developed around a rodent or bird nest. Rat mites are small, approximately the size of the period at the end of this sentence. They move actively and can be picked up with a wet finger, brush or piece of sticky tape. Distinguishing between different species of Ornithonyssus mites to determine whether birds or rodents are the likely source is difficult and requires special expertise. The best first course of action, when faced with biting mite problem is to look for all potential bird or rodent sources.”
It could also be the tropical fowl mite or bird mite (Ornithonyssus bursa). For information check out: http://www.wsahs.nsw.gov.au/icpmr/pdf/0263.pdf Good luck.
KK
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Posted 20 November 2008
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Grandaddy Longlegs
Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 6:23 AM
Dear Bug Guy, I know that this bug is probably very familiar to everyone, we called it the grandaddy long legs. There was a rumor growing up that if they could bite they would kill you, I never knew if that was true or not, but I never let one get close enough to bite. I saw this particular grandaddy on some wood we were putting away and noticed the little red things on it. Are they eggs, baby grandaddy’s or some other bug hitching a ride. I think their legs look like spark plug wires, I have never seen them this close. So, since we all know what we call these, what is their real name, and what are the little red things attached to it.
Thnaks so much,
Lisa Benningfield
Eastern Kentucky USA
Harvestman with Parasitic Mites
Hi Lisa,
This is a Harvestman in the order Opiliones. They are often called Daddy Long Legs and they are harmless scavengers without venom. The red creatures are Parasitic Mites in the genus Leptus.
Spider carrying orange orbs
Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 6:53 AM
I found this spider while digging a trench in my lawn in April, 2008. There was no web in sight. The spider seemed to be just walking along. My first thought was that it was carrying it’s eggs somewhere. I took a few pictures, then continued with my trench. After a few days, I began to wonder exactly what kind of spider it was and what it was doing, but haven’t been able to find out any more information. Thanks for your help.
TJ1028
Coastal southern California
Harvestman with Parasitic Mites
Hi TJ1028,
Your spider is actually another type of Arachnid in the order Opiliones, commonly called a Harvestman or Daddy-Long-Legs. The orange orbs appear to be Parasitic Mites in the genus Leptus. We originally thought the Mites were merely hitching a ride, a phenomenon known as Phoresy, but a search of BugGuide revealed the parasitic nature of the Mites. There is some good dialog contributed by the BugGuide readership on the genus Leptus.
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