#MiteMonday: PEAK ANYSTID HAS BEGUN. This whirligig mite (family Anystidae) has captured a plant bug nymph (family Miridae). It had to jealously guard its catch as the other mites racing around this park bench kept trying to steal it.
#bugstodon #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Anystidae
Note: while they don't follow the ectoparasite-then-predator life history typical of the much larger group they belong to, these little guys are not strict vegetarians and will also eat dead bugs, like this plant bug nymph. This was just a couple feet away from the group in the previous post.
#ArthroBeauty #DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Erythraeidae
#DailyMiteVid: see, I *told* you there was enough pollen!
A bunch of _Balaustium_ long-legged velvet mites, standing on top of each other to feed on an especially large clump of pollen, only chasing each other off a little bit.
#ArthroBeauty #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Erythraeidae
#DailyMitePic: Comrades, please, no fighting, there's enough pollen for everyone!
#Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Erythraeidae
#DailyMitePic: whirligig mites (family Anystidae) are voracious predators…including of each other. Spotted on the rain barrel earlier today.
#MiteMonday: The _Balaustium_ will continue until morale improves^W^W Peak Anystid is upon us
#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Erythraeidae
#BREAKING: the long-legged velvet mites (family Erythraeidae) are out in force! They're the little red guys seen in large numbers running around on concrete and such, eating pollen, sap, dead bugs, and other plentiful springtime foods.
(Not 100% sure on genus for this particular one, will edit in later if I find out)
#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Erythraeidae
#MiteMonday: _Balaustium_ sidewalk mites eating pollen (a fallen tulip anther I placed there for them).
#bugstodon #Mitestodon #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Erythraeidae
#MiteMonday: an oribatid mite, a slow-moving detritivore with hard, shell-like armour. This one was manoeuvring around some spider silk. I have the feeling it's one of those ones whose name ends in -zetes? @frankashwood would have a better idea.
#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Acariformes #Oribatida
neville park