Mites Archives - What's That Bug?

Currently viewing the category: "Mites"

Velvet Mite

On April 10, 2013 · Category: Mites · Add Comment

Subject: What is this bug
Location: WEst Virginia
April 10, 2013 6:28 am
Bugman, Can you tell me what kind of bug this is ? My cousin’s daughter came across it April 6th on a farm in West Virginia. I’ve looked on line but there isn’t anything like it .
Signature: Thank you

Velvet Mites

This is a Velvet Mite, and according to BugGuide: “Larvae parasitize insects and arachnids of all major orders. Adults eat insect eggs.” Most of our reports of Velvet Mites come from arid portions of the American Southwest, but according to bugGuide, they range across the country.

I like This

Velvet Mite

On March 15, 2013 · Category: Mites · 7 Comments

Subject: red/pinkish bug @ Valley of Fire, NV
Location: Valley of Fire State Park, Overton, Nevada
March 14, 2013 10:11 pm
Hello-
Found this bug crawling in the sand at Valley of Fire in Nevada. It was about the size of a dime with 8 legs and this reddish/hot pink color (the photo colors are accurate). Very unusual and the staff at the State Park was unfamiliar with it when we asked. This was last weekend, so March 9 and it was around 70 degrees outside.
I took this photo myself and give you permission to post/publish.
Signature: Michele

Velvet Mite

Hi Michele,
This striking creature is a Velvet Mite in the family Thrombidiidae. They generally appear in desert areas immediately after a rain. According to BugGuide: “Larvae parasitize insects and arachnids of all major orders.”

I like This

Flesh Fly from tunnel between Serbia and Slovenia

On February 16, 2013 · Category: Flesh Flies, Mites · Add Comment

Subject: Passenger Flies (Serbia to Slovenia)
Location: Originally Serbia, now Slovenia
February 14, 2013 5:00 am
There was an accident in a tunnel just after we crossed from the Bulgarian border that created a huge backup on the road. While we were at a complete stop on a very warm day in late August we picked up some uninvited passengers we couldn’t seem to shake. 4 Humans and 3 Flies in a BMW wagon. So, to amuse myself I took pictures of them. One in particular was much more interesting than I was expecting.
If you are able to help with identification that would be lovely.
Next up, flies in Germany.
Signature: Curious Girl

Flesh Fly with hitchhiking Mites

Dear Curious Girl,
How sad that your human passengers were less interesting than this fly. We believe this is a Flesh Fly in the family Sarcophagidae. You can see additional images and read about North American species on BugGuide. Interestingly, it appears that this Flesh Fly has picked up some hitchhikers of its own. The red dots on the thorax and leg are most likely phoretic mites that are hoping to be transported to their next meal.

Oh, that makes sense except this fly was no bigger than the others and they were all what I would call, “standard” fly size not one of those big ones like the North American versions seem to be from descriptions but my understanding is these are worldwide and there are many different varieties and sizes?
However, up till now I had thought the red was just pretty decorations adding interest to the fly.
As for the Sarchophagidae it would seem the other two flies I sent with the Flesh Fly could then be Satellite (metopia) Flies which puts them in the same family (? is that correct? Family? I get so confused by classificiations).
http://bugguide.net/node/view/53650/bgpage
Pretty cool they have live births instead of laying eggs.
Anyway, the day I sent these last pics to you I went out here in Cyprus to an explosion of bug life so captured pictures of dozens of interesting flies and little (+ bigger) bees among other things. So, expect more from me soon.
And thanks so much for the assist. It’s soooo cool to know these have names and descriptions in the world.

I like This

Green June Beetles covered in Phoretic Mites

On July 22, 2012 · Category: Mites, Scarab Beetles · Add Comment

Subject: June bug with phoretic mites
Location: South Central Missouri, Ozarks region
July 16, 2012 3:24 pm
Late in June, I was stirring my compost, and found three june bugs covered with phoretic mites. I was able to identify the mites with the help of your website. In the other photos, I didn’t see any bugs with as many mites as my june bugs. They could hardly crawl. Thought you might be interested. Thanks for a great website!!!
Signature: Carmen

Green June Beetle covered in Phoretic Mites

Dear Carmen,
We need to come clean by telling you we went back through unanswered mail to look for a posting of a Stag Beetle that we want to post, and while we could not locate it among the piles of unanswered mail we have, we stumbled upon your subject line, and boy were we thrilled when we saw the images. We cannot imagine how this Green June Beetle, Cotinis nitida, can manage to get airborne with that much excess baggage. From all we have read, Phoretic Mites do not harm their hosts as they are just hitching a ride to a food source since they are unable to fly. Though we have seen some species of beetles with excessive amounts of Phoretic Mites, none compare to this. Additionally, this is the first report we have of a Green June Beetle transporting Phoretic Mites.

Green June Beetle covered in Phoretic Mites

Actually, the photos were of three different june bugs. They were crawling around inside my plastic compost bin. I took one out and hosed him off with water to see what would happen, and he flew away. I think it was relieved!! I haven’t seen the other two for a while…thanks for responding!!
Carmen

I like This

Mite

On July 20, 2012 · Category: Mites Tagged With: Household Pests · 2 Comments

Subject: Can’t quite identify what this bug is that keeps biting me
Location: VA
July 20, 2012 9:49 am
Hello first off thanks very much for reading. I have had several bug bites on my legs (around 10) over the past few days, and woke up this morning and found the actual bug that had been biting me. I have attached pictures but am not quite able to identify it. It is very small but I took a picture through a pocket microscope. Can you help me identify it please? The bites are not painful and barely itch at all.
Thanks!
Signature: Henry

Mite

Hi Henry,
Thanks to your microscopic enlargement, we are able to identify your culprit as a Mite, though we do not have the necessary skills to determine a species or genus or even a family. There are many biting mites and some typically trouble birds and others rodents. If there was a recently abandoned bird nest near where these bites have occurred, it is possible that once the birds left the nest, the Mites resorted to biting humans out of desperation.

Mite

I like This

Buggy Vocabulary Word ELYTRA: Dung Beetle with Phoretic Mites

On June 20, 2012 · Category: Mites, Scarab Beetles Tagged With: Buggy Vocabulary Words · Add Comment

Subject: Beetle with Mite Infestation
Location: Wheatland, IN
June 19, 2012 2:37 pm
Hello –
I found this bug in the grass of my in-laws farm in Wheatland, IN. This photo was taken May 12th (warm and humid). Not too sure what kind of beetle this is, or what type of little bug is infesting it. We let the beetle go about his business, but he seemed worse for the wear. Kept trying to fly off, but his wings seemed to be crinkled up and he couldn’t straighten them. He finally rolled over and laid there for awhile. Came back later and he was gone.
Any info is appreciated. Thanks!
Signature: Mountain Mama

Dung Beetle

Dear Mountain Mama,
These are photos of a Dung Beetle, a group of Scarab Beetles in the subfamily Scarabaeinae (see BugGuide) that collect fresh animal excrement and roll it in a ball prior to burying it and laying an egg. We are uncertain of the species. The dung is the food source for the hatched larva. Dung Beetles are especially common in areas where there is livestock and Dung Beetles help the decomposition process that returns nutrients and minerals back into the soil in a usable form. The crumpled wings you mentioned are actually the flight wings of the beetle. The first set of wings, called the ELYTRA are hardened and they protect the flight wings that are folded while the beetle is at rest. Though the Dung Beetle did not go airborne while you were watching, your photo does not indicate that there is any physical problem. Your photo is a perfect photo to illustrate the vocabulary word ELYTRA. Originally we were going to use your submission to illustrate PHORESY, but there are a dearth of good images on our site showing a beetle in flight, so we changed our minds at the eleventh hour. This image of an Eyed Elater from our archives is also a nice illustration of the ELYTRA.

Dung Beetle showing ELYTRA

The mites on the underside of the Dung Beetle are most likely Phoretic Mites, meaning that they do not parasitize the beetle, but rather use the beetle as a means of transportation. Phoresy is a term used for hitchhiking on another species. By hitching a ride on a flying species, the mites are able to be transported to a new food supply.

Dung Beetle with Phoretic Mites

I like This

Crane Fly with Phoretic Mites and Red Spotted Purple

On May 28, 2012 · Category: Brush Footed Butterflies, Crane Fly, Mites · 1 Comment

Subject: Bug with eggs
Location: East Haddam, CT, USA
May 28, 2012 1:33 pm
Hi, this guy was photographed around May 20 in Conn. USA, an inch or so across. I am also wondering if those are wasp parasite eggs, or if she carries her own eggs on her back!
The other, the butterfly, pic taken about the same day, same place.
Thanks!
Signature: Dan

Crane Fly with Phoretic Mites

Hi Dan,
The photo that you thought was an insect with wasp eggs is a Crane Fly and it is carrying Phoretic Mites. Mites cannot fly, and they have evolved a behavior, known as phoresy, which allows them to move to new food sources. Phoretic Mites attach themselves to flying insects and when they reach a suitable habitat, they drop off. Here is a photo from BugGuide of a Crane Fly that is covered with Phoretic Mites. We will try to identify the Crane Fly species. The butterfly is a Red Spotted Purple.

Red Spotted Purple

Wow, that is amazing that you got back to me so fast, on Memorial Day, yet!
Get back out there to your picnic LOL!
That is fascinating about the Crane Fly, I thought that was what it was but I
had never seen the “eggs” before so I had no idea they were actually mites.
A Red Spotted Purple, not too imaginative with the name, but sure is lovely!
thanks again,
Dan

I like This

Ox Beetle with Mites

On May 20, 2012 · Category: Mites, Scarab Beetles · Add Comment

Subject: Beetle and his friends
Location: central texas
May 16, 2012 11:44 pm
Identifying the beetle is prolly pretty easy, the real question, for me, is what are the tiny bugs hanging out in the dent on its head. It’s hard to make them out in the picture. They are light brown/yellowish in color and about the size of a pencil point. I’ve got some good pictures finally.
Thanks
Signature: J.W.

Ox Beetle

Dear J.W.,
We believe the beetle is a female Ox Beetle in the genus Strategus and the small creatures on her head are Mites. We don’t believe they are parasitic, but more likely that they are Phoretic Mites, meaning they use the Ox Beetle for transportation from one food source to another. Here is a photo of a female Ox Beetle from BugGuide.

Mites on Ox Beetle

I like This

P. 1 of 1212 3 4 5.»»»

Translate This

Velvet Mite

Velvet Mite

Flesh Fly from tunnel between Serbia and Slovenia

Green June Beetles covered in Phoretic Mites

Mite

Buggy Vocabulary Word ELYTRA: Dung Beetle with Phoretic Mites

Crane Fly with Phoretic Mites and Red Spotted Purple

Ox Beetle with Mites

Support whatsthatbug.com

Bug Info

Order Your Copy

Most liked posts

Archives

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Related posts:

Support whatsthatbug.com

Bug Info

Most liked posts

Archives