Mysterious Tiny Bug
Location: Port Angeles, WA
April 6, 2011 5:25 pm
Hello, I’ve been taking macro photography shots of insects for quite a long time and I hadn’t ever come across this tiny bug before, so I thought I would send it your way to see if you can enlighten me as to its identify. The bug is no more than 0.2 cm across, and I found it on the underside of a rotting piece of alder. Due to its size and semi-transparent shell, I’m guessing it is a juvenile of some form of insect that I might otherwise be able to identify (perhaps a stink bug due to the shape of the shell). Thanks for you time, and look forward to hearing from you!
Signature: Eli Owens
Mite
Hi Eli,
In our opinion, this is some species of Mite, and it has a very unusual anatomical structure. We cannot find any matching images on BugGuide in the superorder Acariformes. Perhaps an expert in Mites, known as an acarologist, will write in with an identification some day.
1
¶ Posted 07 April 2011 § ‡ ° Tiny red rock mite
Location: Israel
April 1, 2011 10:10 am
Hi,
Ever since I was a little boy I remember those tiny red mites on hot rocks basking in the sun, usually by the hundreds. They are bright red and leave a red stain when accidentally squished… they never bite me so I don’t think they are dangerous but now they are all over my porch where I keep the dogs and it has me worried. The picture is really the best I could give because the mite is so tiny (and I picked the largest one I could find!).
can you help me Identify this mite so I can learn about it more?
Signature: Thank you!, Alon.
Running Mite
Dear Alon,
We have always called these Running Mites, and to the best of our knowledge, they will not harm you or your pets. There are so many species that look so similar, we cannot even hope to provide you with an accurate species identification.
Running Mite
¶ Posted 02 April 2011 § ‡ ° Red bug
Location: Santa Fe, NM
March 17, 2011 3:36 pm
On Feb 23 we were visited by a small insect that has got to be the most beautiful ever. It was about an 1/8 in. long and its legs are relatively short for its body size. It may be a baby, and it seemed to be actively crawling through the gravel of our driveway. When captured once it fell on its back and seemed to have difficulty getting upright, but ten was okay. We live a short distance from Santa Fe, NM. Temperature was about 42 degrees F, altitude 7000’. Any thoughts? H. Von Letkemann (telephone number edited out)
Signature: H. Von Letkemann
Velvet Mite
Dear H. Von Letkemann,
We are amused that you consider this Velvet Mite to be “the most beautiful ever”, though it is not an insect. Arachnids, including Mites, are related to insects, but they are classified differently. Velvet Mites feed on insect eggs, most notably on Grasshopper Eggs. We are editing out your contact number from your email prior to posting.
Daniel,
Thank you for introducing me to this little guy. Initially I thought it must be a spider, since I thought I counted 8 legs. Then, when it had trouble turning over I couldn’t think a spider would have that kind of difficulty.
I wanted to make a contribution, but the PayPal system and I couldn’t connect. I still would like to do that, and I’m able to use the U.S. mail if you send me an address.
Thank you again,
Lucky Von Letkemann
¶ Posted 19 March 2011 § ‡ ° Tiny and spider like
Location: South Africa
February 26, 2011 12:35 pm
Hope you can help with an ID for this tiny creature. Body less than 1mm in length. Found it running around on the tiles next to my swimming pool. Runs extremely fast (almost appears to be gliding) in circular patterns and then suddenly stops before taking off again. Seems like it has two white eyes. Must be related to a spider?
Signature: Vida
Mite
Hello Vida,
We really want to commend you for taking such detailed photographs of such a tiny creature. Your creature is some species of Mite in the subclass Acari. Your observation that it must be related to a spider is correct since both are classified as Arachnids. We find the taxonomic classification of Mites to be well beyond our means, and we are reluctant to try to be any more specific than the extremely general identification of Mite. We would like to add again that your very detailed photographs are quite lovely.
Mite
¶ Posted 27 February 2011 § ‡ ° Tiny bugs found on cat, in our bed, and on my wife
Location: Gainesville, Florida (indoors)
February 12, 2011 11:34 pm
On February 11, 2011, in Gainesville, Florida, my wife discovered a tiny red bug (about the size of a pin head) climbing on her. She immediately thought it was a tiny tick as we had a problem with them once before from a hiking trip. I stuck it to a piece of tape so I could photograph it and have it identified from our local extension office. Since it was Friday night, the extension office was closed. While I searched the web for answers, my wife continued to find them on our cats, on her, and in our bed. I assumed they were clover mites but all of the descriptions say that clover mites do not bite people. She insists that they are and have biting her. Last night, I was bit as well. I am attaching a photo I took. Please let me know what in the world this little guy is.
Signature: zompocalypse
Mite
Dear zompocalypse,
We agree that this is a Mite, but exact Mite identification is well beyond our amateur capabilities. Eradication of Biting Mites can be very difficult. We would recommend a trip to your local natural history museum to see if you can get any assistance with an identification.
¶ Posted 15 February 2011 § ‡ ° Mites in worm farm?
Location: Hawthorn, Melbourne, Australia
January 13, 2011 9:33 pm
Dear Bugman
I’m wondering if you can help me identify these bugs which seem to be taking over my worm farm? The worms look a little distressed (crawling up to the very top and down to the very bottom of the farm) but not too worried (none have escaped yet.
Do these bugs feed on worms? Bite humans?
Thanks for your help!
Signature: Jess
Mite
Hi Jess,
Identifying Mites to the species level, or even family level is something well past our means and requires the expertise of an acarologist, however we will post your excellent photos in the hope that someone with more knowledge in the field than we possess might someday provide an answer to your questions. It does appear that you might have two different Mites in your worm farm.
MIte
Mites under a microscope!
Location: Western NC
December 2, 2010 8:52 am
An individual at my school came in yesterday with a hair mousse bottle almost completely encrusted with these little fellows. According to her, they’re all over her electronics and hair care products, but no where else.
She thinks they may have come in on a used rug or carpet one of her family members recently purchased, but cannot be certain. Their population seems to have exploded overnight.
I tried to aim my little camera into the ocular to take a photo, but couldn’t focus things properly. The photo does hive an outline of the creatures though. I forget the magnification setting I had selected, but I *think* it was 250x. The mites could only be visibly discerned as tiny white specks.
Any ID help is appreciated.
Signature: Jacob
Mites
Dear Jacob,
Even with your wonderful photo, we do not feel qualified enough to provide an identification for you on these Mites, but perhaps one of our readers will supply an identification.
Mite identification
Location: Asheville, NC
December 28, 2010 11:41 am
My house is infested with a small bug, possibly a mite. And my boyfriend now has them at his house and I’ve carried them to my office as well.
I’ve seen something tiny on numerous occasions, but I have only been able to catch one of these bugs, in some oil. These things are tiny (like the period at the end of this sentence and are very quick to hide. They get into everything in the house and are crawling on my body as well.
Can you help me identify this bug? I have bumps and soars on my skin, which may be bites or just a reaction to the bugs.
My photos are at 40x magnification.
Signature: Dee
Mystery Bug
Dear Dee,
It appears that you have two very different creatures represented in your photographs. One of them is a mystery to us, but it does not look like a mite. The other, which you have labeled Dees Bug, appears to be a Carpet Beetle Larva which is a common household pest, but we do not believe it is responsible for your skin condition, nor do they move quickly. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to identify your other creature. In addition to the two images you have sent, you may also have a problem with Mites which are frequently associated with abandoned bird’s nests in the attic areas of the home.
Carpet Beetle Larva
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