#acariformes — Public Fediverse posts

Has #WeevilWednesday come early? No, it's #MiteMonday! These snout mites (family Bdellidae) must need moisture as I usually only see them in damp places and right after it rains. They are predatory, and about the same size as sidewalk mites (_Balaustium_, family Erythraeidae).

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #SnoutMites #Acari #Acariformes #Prostigmata #Bdellidae

Has #WeevilWednesday come early? No, it's #MiteMonday! These snout mites (family Bdellidae) must need moisture as I usually only see them in damp places and right after it rains. They are predatory, and about the same size as sidewalk mites (_Balaustium_, family Erythraeidae).

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #SnoutMites #Acari #Acariformes #Prostigmata #Bdellidae

Has #WeevilWednesday come early? No, it's #MiteMonday! These snout mites (family Bdellidae) must need moisture as I usually only see them in damp places and right after it rains. They are predatory, and about the same size as sidewalk mites (_Balaustium_, family Erythraeidae).

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #SnoutMites #Acari #Acariformes #Prostigmata #Bdellidae

Has #WeevilWednesday come early? No, it's #MiteMonday! These snout mites (family Bdellidae) must need moisture as I usually only see them in damp places and right after it rains. They are predatory, and about the same size as sidewalk mites (_Balaustium_, family Erythraeidae).

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #SnoutMites #Acari #Acariformes #Prostigmata #Bdellidae

Have some oribatid mites for #MiteMonday. These tiny detritivorous soil-dwelling mites look kind of like shiny poppy seeds. The plates on their sides are called pteromorphs ("wing-shaped") and are a feature of certain groups.

#bugstodon #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Oribatida #Poronota

Have some oribatid mites for #MiteMonday. These tiny detritivorous soil-dwelling mites look kind of like shiny poppy seeds. The plates on their sides are called pteromorphs ("wing-shaped") and are a feature of certain groups.

#bugstodon #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Oribatida #Poronota

Have some oribatid mites for #MiteMonday. These tiny detritivorous soil-dwelling mites look kind of like shiny poppy seeds. The plates on their sides are called pteromorphs ("wing-shaped") and are a feature of certain groups.

#bugstodon #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Oribatida #Poronota

Have some oribatid mites for #MiteMonday. These tiny detritivorous soil-dwelling mites look kind of like shiny poppy seeds. The plates on their sides are called pteromorphs ("wing-shaped") and are a feature of certain groups.

#bugstodon #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Oribatida #Poronota

#MiteMonday: mite mania! A whole bunch of _Balaustium_ scavenging a dead midge.

#Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Erythraeidae

#MiteMonday: mite mania! A whole bunch of _Balaustium_ scavenging a dead midge.

#Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Erythraeidae

#MiteMonday: mite mania! A whole bunch of _Balaustium_ scavenging a dead midge.

#Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Erythraeidae

#MiteMonday: mite mania! A whole bunch of _Balaustium_ scavenging a dead midge.

#Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Erythraeidae

#Mites of the #Astigmata (#Sarcoptiformes, #Acariformes), such as #Histiostomatidae shown here, practice #direct #spermtransfer via #copulatoryorgans in #males and #females. An #evolutionary #innovation derived from #spermatophoretransfer without copulation in #Oribatidmites. Advantage: a huge egg can develop and new sperm can be stored simultaneously.
©#StefanFWirth, July 2026

Please support my research
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

#SEM #photos
©S.F.Wirth: #Histiostoma #palustre, H. sp, #aedeagus

#Mites of the #Astigmata (#Sarcoptiformes, #Acariformes), such as #Histiostomatidae shown here, practice #direct #spermtransfer via #copulatoryorgans in #males and #females. An #evolutionary #innovation derived from #spermatophoretransfer without copulation in #Oribatidmites. Advantage: a huge egg can develop and new sperm can be stored simultaneously.
©#StefanFWirth, July 2026

Please support my research
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

#SEM #photos
©S.F.Wirth: #Histiostoma #palustre, H. sp, #aedeagus

#Mites of the #Astigmata (#Sarcoptiformes, #Acariformes), such as #Histiostomatidae shown here, practice #direct #spermtransfer via #copulatoryorgans in #males and #females. An #evolutionary #innovation derived from #spermatophoretransfer without copulation in #Oribatidmites. Advantage: a huge egg can develop and new sperm can be stored simultaneously.
©#StefanFWirth, July 2026

Please support my research
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

#SEM #photos
©S.F.Wirth: #Histiostoma #palustre, H. sp, #aedeagus

#Mites of the #Astigmata (#Sarcoptiformes, #Acariformes), such as #Histiostomatidae shown here, practice #direct #spermtransfer via #copulatoryorgans in #males and #females. An #evolutionary #innovation derived from #spermatophoretransfer without copulation in #Oribatidmites. Advantage: a huge egg can develop and new sperm can be stored simultaneously.
©#StefanFWirth, July 2026

Please support my research
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

#SEM #photos
©S.F.Wirth: #Histiostoma #palustre, H. sp, #aedeagus

#Mites of the #Astigmata (#Sarcoptiformes, #Acariformes), such as #Histiostomatidae shown here, practice #direct #spermtransfer via #copulatoryorgans in #males and #females. An #evolutionary #innovation derived from #spermatophoretransfer without copulation in #Oribatidmites. Advantage: a huge egg can develop and new sperm can be stored simultaneously.
©#StefanFWirth, July 2026

Please support my research
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth

#SEM #photos
©S.F.Wirth: #Histiostoma #palustre, H. sp, #aedeagus

#MiteMonday: I chased this sidewalk mite around a bocce ball court in a park for ages because I thought it was one of the iridescent blue-green ones, only to find out it just had some green stuff on it. 😐

It looks kind of like lichen but I have no idea how lichen would even grow on a mite. It's probably some random paint or powder or algae-filled water that dried on it.

#Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Erythraeidae

#MiteMonday: I chased this sidewalk mite around a bocce ball court in a park for ages because I thought it was one of the iridescent blue-green ones, only to find out it just had some green stuff on it. 😐

It looks kind of like lichen but I have no idea how lichen would even grow on a mite. It's probably some random paint or powder or algae-filled water that dried on it.

#Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Erythraeidae

#MiteMonday: I chased this sidewalk mite around a bocce ball court in a park for ages because I thought it was one of the iridescent blue-green ones, only to find out it just had some green stuff on it. 😐

It looks kind of like lichen but I have no idea how lichen would even grow on a mite. It's probably some random paint or powder or algae-filled water that dried on it.

#Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Erythraeidae

#MiteMonday: I chased this sidewalk mite around a bocce ball court in a park for ages because I thought it was one of the iridescent blue-green ones, only to find out it just had some green stuff on it. 😐

It looks kind of like lichen but I have no idea how lichen would even grow on a mite. It's probably some random paint or powder or algae-filled water that dried on it.

#Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Erythraeidae

#MiteMonday: a whirligig mite (family Anystidae) feeding on a long-legged velvet mite (family Erythraeidae, compare to _Balaustium_). Given how plentiful _Balaustium_ are, coinciding with peak anystid, this must be going on all the time, but I rarely see it.

#Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Erythraeidae

#MiteMonday: a whirligig mite (family Anystidae) feeding on a long-legged velvet mite (family Erythraeidae, compare to _Balaustium_). Given how plentiful _Balaustium_ are, coinciding with peak anystid, this must be going on all the time, but I rarely see it.

#Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Erythraeidae

#MiteMonday: a whirligig mite (family Anystidae) feeding on a long-legged velvet mite (family Erythraeidae, compare to _Balaustium_). Given how plentiful _Balaustium_ are, coinciding with peak anystid, this must be going on all the time, but I rarely see it.

#Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Erythraeidae

#MiteMonday: a whirligig mite (family Anystidae) feeding on a long-legged velvet mite (family Erythraeidae, compare to _Balaustium_). Given how plentiful _Balaustium_ are, coinciding with peak anystid, this must be going on all the time, but I rarely see it.

#Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Erythraeidae

Just as interesting to me was the behaviour of the mite. It kept running around the same square inch or so. (Normally they run around a much larger area and when they run around in a small area it's just a turn or two in a small burst of energy, in the manner of one of those hyperactive dogs so energetic they can't sit still for long.) It really did seem as if it were *looking for the midge*!

I felt so bad for it I smushed a plant bug nymph (family Miridae) and dropped it by the mite, who immediately took it. (2/2)

#Mitestodon #mites #MiteBehaviour #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Hemiptera #Heteroptera #Miridae

Just as interesting to me was the behaviour of the mite. It kept running around the same square inch or so. (Normally they run around a much larger area and when they run around in a small area it's just a turn or two in a small burst of energy, in the manner of one of those hyperactive dogs so energetic they can't sit still for long.) It really did seem as if it were *looking for the midge*!

I felt so bad for it I smushed a plant bug nymph (family Miridae) and dropped it by the mite, who immediately took it. (2/2)

#Mitestodon #mites #MiteBehaviour #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Hemiptera #Heteroptera #Miridae

Just as interesting to me was the behaviour of the mite. It kept running around the same square inch or so. (Normally they run around a much larger area and when they run around in a small area it's just a turn or two in a small burst of energy, in the manner of one of those hyperactive dogs so energetic they can't sit still for long.) It really did seem as if it were *looking for the midge*!

I felt so bad for it I smushed a plant bug nymph (family Miridae) and dropped it by the mite, who immediately took it. (2/2)

#Mitestodon #mites #MiteBehaviour #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Hemiptera #Heteroptera #Miridae

Just as interesting to me was the behaviour of the mite. It kept running around the same square inch or so. (Normally they run around a much larger area and when they run around in a small area it's just a turn or two in a small burst of energy, in the manner of one of those hyperactive dogs so energetic they can't sit still for long.) It really did seem as if it were *looking for the midge*!

I felt so bad for it I smushed a plant bug nymph (family Miridae) and dropped it by the mite, who immediately took it. (2/2)

#Mitestodon #mites #MiteBehaviour #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Hemiptera #Heteroptera #Miridae

#DailyMitePic × #DailySpiderPic: I was taking a photo of a whirligig mite (family Anystidae) eating a tiny midge when I saw a zebra jumping spider (_Salticus scenicus_) sneakily approaching. It pounced and seized the midge for itself! (1/2)

#Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #spiders #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Araneae #Salticidae

#DailyMitePic × #DailySpiderPic: I was taking a photo of a whirligig mite (family Anystidae) eating a tiny midge when I saw a zebra jumping spider (_Salticus scenicus_) sneakily approaching. It pounced and seized the midge for itself! (1/2)

#Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #spiders #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Araneae #Salticidae

#DailyMitePic × #DailySpiderPic: I was taking a photo of a whirligig mite (family Anystidae) eating a tiny midge when I saw a zebra jumping spider (_Salticus scenicus_) sneakily approaching. It pounced and seized the midge for itself! (1/2)

#Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #spiders #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Araneae #Salticidae

#DailyMitePic × #DailySpiderPic: I was taking a photo of a whirligig mite (family Anystidae) eating a tiny midge when I saw a zebra jumping spider (_Salticus scenicus_) sneakily approaching. It pounced and seized the midge for itself! (1/2)

#Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #spiders #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Araneae #Salticidae

#MiteMonday: As I watched this aphid laden with parasitic larval mites, one small light-coloured one climbed off the aphid and ran away over the leaf. The aphid, disturbed by me handling the leaf, began walking away and shed a few more mites. So the mites seem ready to detach as needed at any stage, which is interesting I think.

Also does this count as a parasite on a parasite? :thonking:

#Mitestodon #mites #bugstodon #insects #aphids #parasitism #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Hemiptera #Aphididae

#MiteMonday: As I watched this aphid laden with parasitic larval mites, one small light-coloured one climbed off the aphid and ran away over the leaf. The aphid, disturbed by me handling the leaf, began walking away and shed a few more mites. So the mites seem ready to detach as needed at any stage, which is interesting I think.

Also does this count as a parasite on a parasite? :thonking:

#Mitestodon #mites #bugstodon #insects #aphids #parasitism #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Hemiptera #Aphididae

#MiteMonday: As I watched this aphid laden with parasitic larval mites, one small light-coloured one climbed off the aphid and ran away over the leaf. The aphid, disturbed by me handling the leaf, began walking away and shed a few more mites. So the mites seem ready to detach as needed at any stage, which is interesting I think.

Also does this count as a parasite on a parasite? :thonking:

#Mitestodon #mites #bugstodon #insects #aphids #parasitism #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Hemiptera #Aphididae

#MiteMonday: As I watched this aphid laden with parasitic larval mites, one small light-coloured one climbed off the aphid and ran away over the leaf. The aphid, disturbed by me handling the leaf, began walking away and shed a few more mites. So the mites seem ready to detach as needed at any stage, which is interesting I think.

Also does this count as a parasite on a parasite? :thonking:

#Mitestodon #mites #bugstodon #insects #aphids #parasitism #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Hemiptera #Aphididae

#DailyMitePic: These aphids on a dill plant are being parasitized by larval parasitengone mites *and* also being hunted by an adult _Allothrombium_ sumo mite, elegantly illustrating the typical Parasitengona lifestyle.

It's possible the little ones are larval _Allothrombium_. I may collect some and see if I can rear them to adulthood so they can be identified.

#bugstodon #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Trombidiidae #insects #aphids #Hemiptera #Aphididae #parasites #parasitism #ArthroBeauty

#DailyMitePic: These aphids on a dill plant are being parasitized by larval parasitengone mites *and* also being hunted by an adult _Allothrombium_ sumo mite, elegantly illustrating the typical Parasitengona lifestyle.

It's possible the little ones are larval _Allothrombium_. I may collect some and see if I can rear them to adulthood so they can be identified.

#bugstodon #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Trombidiidae #insects #aphids #Hemiptera #Aphididae #parasites #parasitism #ArthroBeauty

#DailyMitePic: These aphids on a dill plant are being parasitized by larval parasitengone mites *and* also being hunted by an adult _Allothrombium_ sumo mite, elegantly illustrating the typical Parasitengona lifestyle.

It's possible the little ones are larval _Allothrombium_. I may collect some and see if I can rear them to adulthood so they can be identified.

#bugstodon #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Trombidiidae #insects #aphids #Hemiptera #Aphididae #parasites #parasitism #ArthroBeauty

#DailyMitePic: These aphids on a dill plant are being parasitized by larval parasitengone mites *and* also being hunted by an adult _Allothrombium_ sumo mite, elegantly illustrating the typical Parasitengona lifestyle.

It's possible the little ones are larval _Allothrombium_. I may collect some and see if I can rear them to adulthood so they can be identified.

#bugstodon #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Parasitengona #Trombidiidae #insects #aphids #Hemiptera #Aphididae #parasites #parasitism #ArthroBeauty

Forgot to do mites yesterday oh well. Whirligig mites, food, etc., you know the drill.

- aphid
- ???
- plant bug
- fly

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae

Forgot to do mites yesterday oh well. Whirligig mites, food, etc., you know the drill.

- aphid
- ???
- plant bug
- fly

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae

Forgot to do mites yesterday oh well. Whirligig mites, food, etc., you know the drill.

- aphid
- ???
- plant bug
- fly

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae

Forgot to do mites yesterday oh well. Whirligig mites, food, etc., you know the drill.

- aphid
- ???
- plant bug
- fly

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae

Today's whirligig mite (family Anystidae) menu:

- a plant bug nymph (family Miridae)
- another whirligig mite, or an old exoskeleton maybe?
- a thrips
-a small midge-like fly of some sort

Out of sheer curiosity I captured about half a dozen decently sized whirligig mites and put them on the brown-eyed Susan (_Rudbeckia triloba_) plants which are currently covered in large black aphids. (They do not seem to appreciably harm the plants, which will only mature and bloom much later in the year.) I am not sure if they'll even stay on the plant given how erratically they run around, nor if they'll go for the aphids.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #mites #arachnids #insects #thrips #flies #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Hemiptera #Heteroptera #Miridae #Thysanoptera #Diptera

Today's whirligig mite (family Anystidae) menu:

- a plant bug nymph (family Miridae)
- another whirligig mite, or an old exoskeleton maybe?
- a thrips
-a small midge-like fly of some sort

Out of sheer curiosity I captured about half a dozen decently sized whirligig mites and put them on the brown-eyed Susan (_Rudbeckia triloba_) plants which are currently covered in large black aphids. (They do not seem to appreciably harm the plants, which will only mature and bloom much later in the year.) I am not sure if they'll even stay on the plant given how erratically they run around, nor if they'll go for the aphids.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #mites #arachnids #insects #thrips #flies #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Hemiptera #Heteroptera #Miridae #Thysanoptera #Diptera

Today's whirligig mite (family Anystidae) menu:

- a plant bug nymph (family Miridae)
- another whirligig mite, or an old exoskeleton maybe?
- a thrips
-a small midge-like fly of some sort

Out of sheer curiosity I captured about half a dozen decently sized whirligig mites and put them on the brown-eyed Susan (_Rudbeckia triloba_) plants which are currently covered in large black aphids. (They do not seem to appreciably harm the plants, which will only mature and bloom much later in the year.) I am not sure if they'll even stay on the plant given how erratically they run around, nor if they'll go for the aphids.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #mites #arachnids #insects #thrips #flies #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Hemiptera #Heteroptera #Miridae #Thysanoptera #Diptera

Today's whirligig mite (family Anystidae) menu:

- a plant bug nymph (family Miridae)
- another whirligig mite, or an old exoskeleton maybe?
- a thrips
-a small midge-like fly of some sort

Out of sheer curiosity I captured about half a dozen decently sized whirligig mites and put them on the brown-eyed Susan (_Rudbeckia triloba_) plants which are currently covered in large black aphids. (They do not seem to appreciably harm the plants, which will only mature and bloom much later in the year.) I am not sure if they'll even stay on the plant given how erratically they run around, nor if they'll go for the aphids.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #mites #arachnids #insects #thrips #flies #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Hemiptera #Heteroptera #Miridae #Thysanoptera #Diptera

Has Science Gone Too Far????

Slightly inspired by @thebiologistisn's blue bean project, I experimented with adding food colouring to the little eyedropper bottle of water I carry around during Peak Anystid. (Putting down a drop of water can make them stop to drink, an easy way to get these hyperactive mites to hold still for photos.) It was fun seeing the mites turn slightly blue, but I changed it back to plain water because I didn't want to leave unsightly dried-up blue spots all over the plants and street furniture and whatnot.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae

Has Science Gone Too Far????

Slightly inspired by @thebiologistisn's blue bean project, I experimented with adding food colouring to the little eyedropper bottle of water I carry around during Peak Anystid. (Putting down a drop of water can make them stop to drink, an easy way to get these hyperactive mites to hold still for photos.) It was fun seeing the mites turn slightly blue, but I changed it back to plain water because I didn't want to leave unsightly dried-up blue spots all over the plants and street furniture and whatnot.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae

Has Science Gone Too Far????

Slightly inspired by @thebiologistisn's blue bean project, I experimented with adding food colouring to the little eyedropper bottle of water I carry around during Peak Anystid. (Putting down a drop of water can make them stop to drink, an easy way to get these hyperactive mites to hold still for photos.) It was fun seeing the mites turn slightly blue, but I changed it back to plain water because I didn't want to leave unsightly dried-up blue spots all over the plants and street furniture and whatnot.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae

Has Science Gone Too Far????

Slightly inspired by @thebiologistisn's blue bean project, I experimented with adding food colouring to the little eyedropper bottle of water I carry around during Peak Anystid. (Putting down a drop of water can make them stop to drink, an easy way to get these hyperactive mites to hold still for photos.) It was fun seeing the mites turn slightly blue, but I changed it back to plain water because I didn't want to leave unsightly dried-up blue spots all over the plants and street furniture and whatnot.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae

On the menu today for the whirligig mites:

- aphid?
- big plant bug
- little plant bug
- sidewalk mite

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #insects #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Erythraeidae #Hemiptera #Miridae #Aphididae

On the menu today for the whirligig mites:

- aphid?
- big plant bug
- little plant bug
- sidewalk mite

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #insects #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Erythraeidae #Hemiptera #Miridae #Aphididae

On the menu today for the whirligig mites:

- aphid?
- big plant bug
- little plant bug
- sidewalk mite

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #insects #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Erythraeidae #Hemiptera #Miridae #Aphididae

On the menu today for the whirligig mites:

- aphid?
- big plant bug
- little plant bug
- sidewalk mite

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #insects #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae #Erythraeidae #Hemiptera #Miridae #Aphididae

Today's whirligig mites are eating:
- small fly (midge?)
- plant bug nymphs
- another whirligig mite

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae

Today's whirligig mites are eating:
- small fly (midge?)
- plant bug nymphs
- another whirligig mite

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae

Today's whirligig mites are eating:
- small fly (midge?)
- plant bug nymphs
- another whirligig mite

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae