#penthaleidae — Public Fediverse posts

The triumphant return of #MiteMonday!

Spotted this unusually reddish penthaleid mite on a decaying tree stump. Note the small pale #DorsalAnus on its back towards the rear of the abdomen.

#bugstodon #Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Penthaleidae

#Arachtober 25: now for something entirely different, a penthaleid mite (https://bugguide.net/node/view/263374) feeding on a dandelion leaf. Species like the common _P. major_ (which this probably is) have a #DorsalAnus and excrete these globules as they feed, often hanging upside down on the undersides of leaves or vertically on blades of grass.

(If you think a dorsal anus is wild, certain astig females have secondary dorsal genital openings for copulation.)

#ArthroBeauty #DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Prostigmata #Penthaleidae

Did you know? Tiny penthaleid mites will sometimes wear water drops as hats. 🥰

(That's a total fuckin' lie, it's their excrement. Their anuses are located on their backs.)

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Prostigmata #Penthaleidae #DorsalAnus

#MiteMonday: wintertime rock flipping turned up some penthaleids and those iridescent purple springtails, not quite sure what they are. They were about the same size (see third photo).

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Penthaleidae #springtails #Collembola

#Arachtober 31: yesterday I was enjoying the unseasonably warm weather down by the lake when I passed the little patch of willows where I learned I could find lots of _Penthaleus_ (a.k.a. earth mites, winter grain mites, blue oat mites etc.) on the grass in the spring. On a whim, I got down in a patch of grass and checked again. Not as many as in the spring, but they were there!! I wonder if they can be found year round, or if they are dormant during high summer like they are in hotter climates?

As you can guess, these mites are herbivores. One has a drop of some excretion coming from its #DorsalAnus. (They spend a lot of time on the sides of grass blades and the undersides of leaves; it must come in handy.) The mites are all female and parthenogenetic.

I've been obsessed with arachnids for like 10 years now and there's still so much I don't know, even about the common species in the spots I visit regularly! There's always something new to learn. Take a closer look at the world around you and you'll be amazed by what you can find. Many thanks to everyone who's followed along this month!

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites • #Acari #Acariformes #Penthaleidae

#MiteMonday: hashtag dorsal anus #DorsalAnus

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Penthaleidae #macro

Happy #MiteMonday, yes I've got another penthaleid and I'M NOT SORRY. In this photo, I like how the little blob of excrement coming from its #DorsalAnus casts its own little shadow.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Penthaleidae #macro

It's been colder and snowy these past several days, and the winter grain mites (family Penthaleidae) are back!

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Penthaleidae #DorsalAnus #macro

Yesterday went down to the lake to the big willow tree where I'd found a winter grain mite years before and found a whole bunch of them! This is the first one I saw.

I got up to see a young woman watching me. She correctly guessed I was looking for bugs, and I showed her the piece of bark and explained that winter grain mites are neat because their anus is on their back. She thought it was very cool and said something nice about the vast unseen miniature world. In return she told me that dragons (I'm pretty sure I heard her right) do not have anuses *at all*. I'm afraid to Google this so will just take it on faith.

#DailyMitePic #bugstodon #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Penthaleidae #DorsalAnus

#MiteMonday: on the way back from the Spit, stopped to check blades of grass for clover mites and instead found this equally tiny earth mite (family Penthaleidae), with its unique #DorsalAnus! This is the only pic I managed to get.

:inaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.ca/observations/160502170

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Penthaleidae #macro